NOTE: I put the "Notes in the Courtyard" blog on Living the Writer's Life because it's all about my writing and reasons for being here.
http://wynnbexton.blogspot.com
"Faith illumines me and my world
Like the light from the rising sun
dances across the sky, changing
from several shades into one,
our faith rises to light the way
to oneness with God." Daily Word
JUNE 17, Sunday
It's a quiet, steamy hot Sunday afternoon and I'm sitting at the TKA drinking cold Mythos beer after having downed two delicious souvlakis on pita. A celebratory meal, because thanks to help from my good friend and answers to prayers, all is well again. Now I just have to be frugal til departure time next week.
You never know what surprises will greet you whenyou set off for the day in Athens. I took the trolly up to Syntagma and stopped to take photos of the evzones who guard the Tomb of the unkonw Soldier at the National Palace (gov't buildings). There was a band and soldiers marching up the road and then belive it or not, the Spartans and Greek hoplites appeared, marching in full regalia into the Square followed by women wearing traditional costumes. Apparantly it was a ceremony to honor the fallen Greeks in particular those of antiquity, the Spartans 300 who died at Thermopolye and the Greeks who died at Marathon. It appeared they might have been erecting a new monument as weell. the crowds pushed up onto the Square and the police kept shoving everyone ack. I took as many photos as I could but people were elbowing in front so it was difficult to get a really exceptional shot of the ancient warriors. I found it quite exciting and although it was just a reenactment, it gave you a sense of wht they must have really looked like in full battle gear.
Then I went to the internet, got all my good news, extracted money from the bank machines and walked through Plaka which was full of Americans - obviously a plane-load had just arrived.
Cameback here to the TKA for a bit to eat and a cool quiet retreat.
Not much else on today's agenda except if Zoe is free tonight I might meet her in Plaka Square. Otherwise I'm not moving from the courtyard at Chris's where everything is cool and serene.
Right now, this Mythos is like iced ambrosia, little sparrows and pigeons are pecking around my feet, and Dino is serenading me on his bouzouki.
(I made a movie of him playing it!)
LATER
Plaka Square is an entertainment in iteslef. It's the tree-shaded plateia in the middle of Plaka surrounded by cafes and buzzing with tourists but in the square, under the trees, you can set and people watch as long as you like for free. When I lived here we used to hang out at the tavernas in the Square. Now they are too expensive -- all white table-clothes and tourist menus. But one has live music and dancers and this is free entertainment if you're on the benches in the middle of the square.
I met zoe there and while I was waiting took some movies of what was going on, the bouzouki music and dancers and all. Zoe and I have known each other for 10 years now. She came here in '83 to live, the same time as me, from Chicago, arriving as a belly dancer and later marrying a Greek musician. She has two children. We met at the American church where I used to go on Sundays. She's very involved in Scientology, which has given her spiritual streght to deal with a difficult marriage and the sturggle to survive here. We had a long, interesting talk. She's an enthusiastic, talented woman, a writer and painter. It was great fun spending the evening sitting on the benches in the Square catching up on the news. We ended up being there four hours before realizing how the time had flown by and she had to rush to catch her bus home.
I decided to walk as the evening was cool andpleasant, so I stopped for an ouzo at the TKA add then headed back to Chris's. It was late, but lots of activity on thne streets and I never feel any 'danger' here as I might at home. This is one thing I love about Athens - in spite of the size of the city (and there is some crime here!) I always feel safe. Then, I know the city and I know the streets. I could almost walk from TKA to Chris's with my eyes closed! The thing you need to be most aware of are the uneven pavements. But they've even fixed those. Yes, I really do love Athens and consider it my second home. so undoubtedly I'll keep returning here. Thenext time it will be for eht Asembly of 2009. Want to join us?
NEXT: A Day Around Town.
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Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Sunday, June 17, 2007
CRUISING HOME TO ATHENS
JUNE 16
The Blue Star Ferry was already crowded with passangers coming from Santorini when I boarded at .30 this morning. I found a coveredsahy spot on the top deck with a bit of refreshing breeze to cool the air and parked myself for the duration of the 6 hour trip. I took some movie film of the departure from Naxos (as well as those I took on the bus tour). So I'm leaving with good memories in spite of the dilemma I found myself in. My time on the islands has been excellent though, had I known how the things would turn out, I'd have skipped Amorgos and returned to Athens a few days sooneer. The main thing is, I love Naxos and now I have all the updated tour information I needed to write about it. So in spite of the unexpected money disaster, it was definitely not a wasted trip. In fact, I consider my island tours as part of my 'work' as a travel journalist and hope I can do justice in writing articles about these experiences.
By 3.30 we were pullinginto Pireaus harbour and by 4 pm I was 'home' again sitting in Christina's courtyard with an iced glass of soda, contemplating my next ten days here in Athens.
One more thing I look forward to which will put the crown on this wonderful holiday is the possibility of visiting my village,Lala, with my friend dinaz. If we go, it will make my time here complete. And if we are unable to go, I'll accept that it wasn't in my 'moira' to return there again.
Now I'm just relieved to be back here with my friends, and will try not to spoil my lst days in Greece worrying about things.
***July 17. PS. Whew! bailed out by a very kind and generous friend. Now I can breathe freely again! Thanks Buddy, your help is very much appreciated.
NEXT: MUSING FROM THE COURTYARD.
The Blue Star Ferry was already crowded with passangers coming from Santorini when I boarded at .30 this morning. I found a coveredsahy spot on the top deck with a bit of refreshing breeze to cool the air and parked myself for the duration of the 6 hour trip. I took some movie film of the departure from Naxos (as well as those I took on the bus tour). So I'm leaving with good memories in spite of the dilemma I found myself in. My time on the islands has been excellent though, had I known how the things would turn out, I'd have skipped Amorgos and returned to Athens a few days sooneer. The main thing is, I love Naxos and now I have all the updated tour information I needed to write about it. So in spite of the unexpected money disaster, it was definitely not a wasted trip. In fact, I consider my island tours as part of my 'work' as a travel journalist and hope I can do justice in writing articles about these experiences.
By 3.30 we were pullinginto Pireaus harbour and by 4 pm I was 'home' again sitting in Christina's courtyard with an iced glass of soda, contemplating my next ten days here in Athens.
One more thing I look forward to which will put the crown on this wonderful holiday is the possibility of visiting my village,Lala, with my friend dinaz. If we go, it will make my time here complete. And if we are unable to go, I'll accept that it wasn't in my 'moira' to return there again.
Now I'm just relieved to be back here with my friends, and will try not to spoil my lst days in Greece worrying about things.
***July 17. PS. Whew! bailed out by a very kind and generous friend. Now I can breathe freely again! Thanks Buddy, your help is very much appreciated.
NEXT: MUSING FROM THE COURTYARD.
AN ISLAND TOUR
June 15
My main reason for returning to Naxos was to take an island tour. I have wanted to write about Naxos but on my last trip here, the island tour was conducted mostly in German so I missed some important parts. There are many fascinating things to see around this island, both ancient and near history, so I am looking forward to the chance to learn more and explore.
In spite of a restless night and stomach cramps I managed to get the pick-up bus to Naxos town on time. We waited around in Naxos town (Chora) for awhile and I got talking to a nice young woman from Toronto, so we teamed up for the day and later included another young woman from L.A. So it was nice to have company and chat, eat lunch together etc.
This was another one of those gut-wrenching, white-knuckle rides on a precipitous, winding mountain road. the andestrip was mild in comparison. A couple of times I was left gasping. Yes, and praying! How those big buses maneuver those narrow hair-0pin cures I'll never know. But I'm glad to report we managed the entire trip without mishap, though was feeling a bit more squeamish by the end of the day (and I think the others were too!)
We saw a lot of interesting things, stopped at places I remembered from before, and a few new ones as well. And this time the guide spoke very precise English so it was good. Some of the highlights were the interesting pottery workshop at Damalas. Iwished I'd had some money to spend but how to transport it home?
At Chaki we went to a ktron distilling plan. The kitron is made from the leaves of the kitron tree (a large, lumpy lemon-like fruit is produced and used for table sweets and preserves). We got to taste some: theyllow is the strongest, the white is medium, like cointreau and the green is the sweetest. It's served with fish meals. Later I bought myself a small bottle of the green for 5 euro.
We passed by a lot of the old Venetian towers and castle remains and visited a couple of very old churches. the Panagia Drossiani (called "Our Lady of Refreshments" because the miraculous icon 'sweats' if the town is in danger), is the oldest church in the Balkans (5th- 7th C. AD) and was built as a Mausoleum. Later it was used as a monastary for nuns and during the Turkish occupation it was here the Greeks had a "Secret school" inoneof the back chambers as children were prohibited to learn their own culture or speak their own language. They would come there at night and secretly meet for classes.
We visited a small archeological musim at Apiranthos where there were rock carvings from the prehistoric era depicting hunting scenes, dancing and navigation.
Naxos is the most fertile of the Cyclades (and the largest) and is self productive because of its many natural resources. In addition to the many agricultural things grown there (they have the best potatoes in Europe, lots of olives, figs and other fruits) it is mining of emery (the hardest mineral next to a diamond) and the beauitufl Naxian marble, famous from antiquity, that provides economic support for the island. The Cycladic marble carvings of Maxos are seen throughout Greece in archeological sites and even in other parts of the world. a bust of JFK erected after his assassination, was carved of Naxian marble.
Near Apollona, on a hillside, is the remains of a gigantic kouros statue left in situ after the carving became flawed. This one is of the god of wine, Dionysos, who plays a major role in the mythology and legends of the island. It's 10.50 metres long, carved in the early 6th century BC and lies like a sleeping giant on the hillside. (The other kouros which is at a different site, is a later period carving and depicts the god Apollo who also had a large following on the island. Apollona is named for him and in antiquity was a holy site.)
On our way back through the breathtaking mountain scenery, we saw the two great dams that supply Naxos water and passed the former home of the writer Nikos Katzanzakis ( author of Zorba the Greek and The Last Temptation of Christ.). I was hoping we'd stop so I could photograph the house which is now owned by a wealthy Naxian family. But the bus didn't hardly slow down, so no photo.
Coming down to the coast, you see the distant view of the Portara, the Temple of Apollo 530 BC which is on the spot where supposedly Ariadne had a palace.
It was a long journey, but ended pleasantly and in spite of my worries I had tried to enjoy myself. I returned to my studio, went for my last refreshing swim, and now as I write this I am sipping ouzo out on the porch, getting set to go out for one last meal at the beach taverna, Palatia. As I sat, I was thinking of Anibal and once again, the music spoke to me.
When I arrived at the Palatia taverna, it was all Latin music playing. I nearly cried. the spirit of friends, even those who are absent, can still touch you with their presence.
I had lit a candle at the old church of the Panagia today and prayed all my money prolems would be solved. So I will try my best to enjoy my last night here on this lovely island. I wish I hadn't checked my bank accounts yesterday because it put such a damper on my spirits and my last days here.
But I saw dolphins, didn't I, and that's an omen of luck. So I will try not to worry.
NEXT: Cruising Home to Athens.
My main reason for returning to Naxos was to take an island tour. I have wanted to write about Naxos but on my last trip here, the island tour was conducted mostly in German so I missed some important parts. There are many fascinating things to see around this island, both ancient and near history, so I am looking forward to the chance to learn more and explore.
In spite of a restless night and stomach cramps I managed to get the pick-up bus to Naxos town on time. We waited around in Naxos town (Chora) for awhile and I got talking to a nice young woman from Toronto, so we teamed up for the day and later included another young woman from L.A. So it was nice to have company and chat, eat lunch together etc.
This was another one of those gut-wrenching, white-knuckle rides on a precipitous, winding mountain road. the andestrip was mild in comparison. A couple of times I was left gasping. Yes, and praying! How those big buses maneuver those narrow hair-0pin cures I'll never know. But I'm glad to report we managed the entire trip without mishap, though was feeling a bit more squeamish by the end of the day (and I think the others were too!)
We saw a lot of interesting things, stopped at places I remembered from before, and a few new ones as well. And this time the guide spoke very precise English so it was good. Some of the highlights were the interesting pottery workshop at Damalas. Iwished I'd had some money to spend but how to transport it home?
At Chaki we went to a ktron distilling plan. The kitron is made from the leaves of the kitron tree (a large, lumpy lemon-like fruit is produced and used for table sweets and preserves). We got to taste some: theyllow is the strongest, the white is medium, like cointreau and the green is the sweetest. It's served with fish meals. Later I bought myself a small bottle of the green for 5 euro.
We passed by a lot of the old Venetian towers and castle remains and visited a couple of very old churches. the Panagia Drossiani (called "Our Lady of Refreshments" because the miraculous icon 'sweats' if the town is in danger), is the oldest church in the Balkans (5th- 7th C. AD) and was built as a Mausoleum. Later it was used as a monastary for nuns and during the Turkish occupation it was here the Greeks had a "Secret school" inoneof the back chambers as children were prohibited to learn their own culture or speak their own language. They would come there at night and secretly meet for classes.
We visited a small archeological musim at Apiranthos where there were rock carvings from the prehistoric era depicting hunting scenes, dancing and navigation.
Naxos is the most fertile of the Cyclades (and the largest) and is self productive because of its many natural resources. In addition to the many agricultural things grown there (they have the best potatoes in Europe, lots of olives, figs and other fruits) it is mining of emery (the hardest mineral next to a diamond) and the beauitufl Naxian marble, famous from antiquity, that provides economic support for the island. The Cycladic marble carvings of Maxos are seen throughout Greece in archeological sites and even in other parts of the world. a bust of JFK erected after his assassination, was carved of Naxian marble.
Near Apollona, on a hillside, is the remains of a gigantic kouros statue left in situ after the carving became flawed. This one is of the god of wine, Dionysos, who plays a major role in the mythology and legends of the island. It's 10.50 metres long, carved in the early 6th century BC and lies like a sleeping giant on the hillside. (The other kouros which is at a different site, is a later period carving and depicts the god Apollo who also had a large following on the island. Apollona is named for him and in antiquity was a holy site.)
On our way back through the breathtaking mountain scenery, we saw the two great dams that supply Naxos water and passed the former home of the writer Nikos Katzanzakis ( author of Zorba the Greek and The Last Temptation of Christ.). I was hoping we'd stop so I could photograph the house which is now owned by a wealthy Naxian family. But the bus didn't hardly slow down, so no photo.
Coming down to the coast, you see the distant view of the Portara, the Temple of Apollo 530 BC which is on the spot where supposedly Ariadne had a palace.
It was a long journey, but ended pleasantly and in spite of my worries I had tried to enjoy myself. I returned to my studio, went for my last refreshing swim, and now as I write this I am sipping ouzo out on the porch, getting set to go out for one last meal at the beach taverna, Palatia. As I sat, I was thinking of Anibal and once again, the music spoke to me.
When I arrived at the Palatia taverna, it was all Latin music playing. I nearly cried. the spirit of friends, even those who are absent, can still touch you with their presence.
I had lit a candle at the old church of the Panagia today and prayed all my money prolems would be solved. So I will try my best to enjoy my last night here on this lovely island. I wish I hadn't checked my bank accounts yesterday because it put such a damper on my spirits and my last days here.
But I saw dolphins, didn't I, and that's an omen of luck. So I will try not to worry.
NEXT: Cruising Home to Athens.
SHIRLEY VALENTINE ON NAXOS
JUNE 13/14
When I arrived back to the Irea Beach Hotel Studios yesterday I felt as if I'd come 'home' in some ways. The young women who work in reception (two cousins), are incredibly warm and welcomed me back. I have a little suite all to myself with a tiny balcony overlooking the entrance patio and a glimse of the sea over the archway and magenta bougainvillea.
My main destination yesterday (the 13th) was the beach and later I ate dinner at a tavern by the sea, then stopped for a delicious praline iced coffeee at the Banana beach bistro. They were playing the kind of music I enjoy and, appropriately a Shirley Bassie tune "This is my Life! Let me live. This is my life, this is me!" Pretty well my mantra! (She was a favorite of Robbie's and me and we used to listen to her songs and often cry.)
I had a bit too much ouzo before the evening started and cameh ome to an uneasy sleep although the ouzo had settled my stomach somewhat. (Did I mention that I had eaten fava and three nut/honey bars on amorgos which set my tummy into an IBS mode. Very unpleasant with cramps and all). Anyway, I dreamed I was with Rosalie and we had to climb a high ladder platform to reach where we were going. Some of the rungs or steps were broken off andit was quite impossible for me with my short legs to reach the next level. But eventually with her help we got to the top without falling down.
This was perhaps a portent for the following day, June 14, whichturned into a rather u p and down day.
I woke early and headed down the road to Maragas Beach whereI had camped the last time I was on Naxos. This entire coast is sandy beaches and Maragas isone of the best, followed by Plaka Beach which has to be one of the most gorgeous beaches I've ever swam at.
There's been some changes -- Maragas Campground has definitely improved and though the beaches, especailly Plaka, are no longer the idyllic desrted island kindof beaches a before, even with the beach umbrellas and lounge chairs they are still uncrowded and outstanding. There was hardly anyone there whenI arrived so I found a chair (free) and had the sea almost to myself, clear aqua and not even a pebble underfoot, just silky soft golden sand.
It was only a 10 - 15 minute walk back to Aghia Anna where I am staying. I settled things up re my room with Carola in Athens and the reception girl who is so hospitable, got my ticket for tomorrow's island tour. Then I walked the ten minutes along the beach to the next beach, Prokovia, and that's where my 'down' day began.
I fainnly found a decent internet connection, except it was in German, and was able to check email and other business though I wasn't able to access my blogs. When I checked my bank accounts I had a major shock. Last week when I'd checked my VISA balance it was looking good so I wasn't too worried. Couldn't check meantime, and when I did I was horrified to find out I'd maxed out my one card. (there was still a balance in the other one which is for my hotel payment, but I am scared there might be sometime hidden on there that might have nasty surprise for me. Keeping my fingers crossed on that one.) I ended up in a panic over this, stomach ache and all, andit ruined my day worrying over stuff I have no control over until I see Carola next week re the hotel bill. I know, unliked the tourism people at Amorgos, she has found me really good deals so far. (I learned today this studio is actually 80 euro but she has it for me at a lower rate.) I realize there is nothing I can do about this just now. at least I have my ferry ticket back to Athens for Saturday morning and will be staying with my friends ther til I leave, but I am very dismayed and upset with myself for not being more diligent and watchful of my spending.
I came back to my studio, slept on it, and thenwent for a late afternoon swim. (Again, got the beach chair free!) I walked back to Maragas Beach this evening to hve dinner at the Paradise Taverna where I'd been last time I was here. But it's not the same and I was disappointed with the meal, service and view of the sunset which was the main reason I'd gone there.
I walked back to Aghia anna in the semi dark and went to the Banana bar to have one last glass of krasi (not that my upset stomach enjoyed it!) But then again, the music: That Latin American song that Sumalao often plays (and Sting sings) -- and suddenly it was like anibal ws there tlling me eerything would be okay. I almost started to cry.
One thing that I am now reminded of about solo travel is the feeling of being invisible. So feeling the presence of a family spirit was comforting to me. And I have to believe everything will be alright.
NEXT: An Island Tour
When I arrived back to the Irea Beach Hotel Studios yesterday I felt as if I'd come 'home' in some ways. The young women who work in reception (two cousins), are incredibly warm and welcomed me back. I have a little suite all to myself with a tiny balcony overlooking the entrance patio and a glimse of the sea over the archway and magenta bougainvillea.
My main destination yesterday (the 13th) was the beach and later I ate dinner at a tavern by the sea, then stopped for a delicious praline iced coffeee at the Banana beach bistro. They were playing the kind of music I enjoy and, appropriately a Shirley Bassie tune "This is my Life! Let me live. This is my life, this is me!" Pretty well my mantra! (She was a favorite of Robbie's and me and we used to listen to her songs and often cry.)
I had a bit too much ouzo before the evening started and cameh ome to an uneasy sleep although the ouzo had settled my stomach somewhat. (Did I mention that I had eaten fava and three nut/honey bars on amorgos which set my tummy into an IBS mode. Very unpleasant with cramps and all). Anyway, I dreamed I was with Rosalie and we had to climb a high ladder platform to reach where we were going. Some of the rungs or steps were broken off andit was quite impossible for me with my short legs to reach the next level. But eventually with her help we got to the top without falling down.
This was perhaps a portent for the following day, June 14, whichturned into a rather u p and down day.
I woke early and headed down the road to Maragas Beach whereI had camped the last time I was on Naxos. This entire coast is sandy beaches and Maragas isone of the best, followed by Plaka Beach which has to be one of the most gorgeous beaches I've ever swam at.
There's been some changes -- Maragas Campground has definitely improved and though the beaches, especailly Plaka, are no longer the idyllic desrted island kindof beaches a before, even with the beach umbrellas and lounge chairs they are still uncrowded and outstanding. There was hardly anyone there whenI arrived so I found a chair (free) and had the sea almost to myself, clear aqua and not even a pebble underfoot, just silky soft golden sand.
It was only a 10 - 15 minute walk back to Aghia Anna where I am staying. I settled things up re my room with Carola in Athens and the reception girl who is so hospitable, got my ticket for tomorrow's island tour. Then I walked the ten minutes along the beach to the next beach, Prokovia, and that's where my 'down' day began.
I fainnly found a decent internet connection, except it was in German, and was able to check email and other business though I wasn't able to access my blogs. When I checked my bank accounts I had a major shock. Last week when I'd checked my VISA balance it was looking good so I wasn't too worried. Couldn't check meantime, and when I did I was horrified to find out I'd maxed out my one card. (there was still a balance in the other one which is for my hotel payment, but I am scared there might be sometime hidden on there that might have nasty surprise for me. Keeping my fingers crossed on that one.) I ended up in a panic over this, stomach ache and all, andit ruined my day worrying over stuff I have no control over until I see Carola next week re the hotel bill. I know, unliked the tourism people at Amorgos, she has found me really good deals so far. (I learned today this studio is actually 80 euro but she has it for me at a lower rate.) I realize there is nothing I can do about this just now. at least I have my ferry ticket back to Athens for Saturday morning and will be staying with my friends ther til I leave, but I am very dismayed and upset with myself for not being more diligent and watchful of my spending.
I came back to my studio, slept on it, and thenwent for a late afternoon swim. (Again, got the beach chair free!) I walked back to Maragas Beach this evening to hve dinner at the Paradise Taverna where I'd been last time I was here. But it's not the same and I was disappointed with the meal, service and view of the sunset which was the main reason I'd gone there.
I walked back to Aghia anna in the semi dark and went to the Banana bar to have one last glass of krasi (not that my upset stomach enjoyed it!) But then again, the music: That Latin American song that Sumalao often plays (and Sting sings) -- and suddenly it was like anibal ws there tlling me eerything would be okay. I almost started to cry.
One thing that I am now reminded of about solo travel is the feeling of being invisible. So feeling the presence of a family spirit was comforting to me. And I have to believe everything will be alright.
NEXT: An Island Tour
Saturday, June 16, 2007
THE LITTLE CYCLADES
June 13: The voyage back to Naxos
In between Amorgos and Naxos is a chain of little islands known as "Mikres Kyklades", the Little Cycades. Only four of them are populated with permanent residents. In antiquity they were fairly densely populated as is evident from archaeologica finds there from the Cycladi and Minoan periods. During the Middle Ages, only pirates lived there. After Greek Independnece, hardy folk from the other islands came and made their homes there. Until recently, the only visitors there wre Greeks. Now there is a small influx of tourists, mostly backpakcers and hikers.
The links of the other islands are tenuous because ferry service is infrequent. The Ast Baot Expres Skopeliis links the little Cyclades with Amorgos and Naxos and that's the oat we took from Amorgos on Wed. morning at 7 a.m.
The first stop was at Donousa, the northermost of the group. According to the Lonely Planet guide, it has a population o 110. There's not much here except good beaches and as its the least accessible of the islands it doesn't get much ferry traffic. You can camp there but there's no real facilities.
At Koufonisia, thenext stop, a group of young people boarded and they happened to be Canadian archaeological students from Ontario who had been on the island since the eginning of May working on a Cycladic period dig.
This island has more to offer than the others and appeared to be popular with the hiking/backpacking crowd . I made note of a number of seniors, mostly Brits or Norse, or German setting off with their hiking sticks and back packs. It's the smllest of the isaldn group but the most denseley populate d( 284 people). Mainly the islanders are fishermen and Koufanissia boasts the largest fishing fleet in Greece inn proportion to it s population. I'ts an attractive island and has managed to keep it's younger inhabitants conseuently it doesn't hve the ghost-town effect of some other Cycldic islands. The beaches of golden sand ad the crystal clear water is a big attraction. The water is so clear I had to take a photo to prove it.
Skinousa was the next port ( pop 120) It's a little gem of an island with a golden landscape and a pastoral feeling and lovely beaches. (You have to take you rown food and water as there are no shops or taversn at the beach).
Iraklia (11o) is another barren island with not much else but a couple of tiny villages and a beach. Evidently this is a favorite hide-awayfrom Germans who go there every year. There's a cave with stalectites but not much else to see there.
As we cruised away I saw what I'd been looking for ever since ouar vayage from Venice. All along the way, on every ferry trip, I'd been sending out telepathic messages to the dolphins (that's the way you 'call' them, I've been tod. And it usually works) But this time it didn't appear to have been successful. I was standing at the deck rail wathicn th islands and reefs slip by when suddenly a man near me shouted "Look there!" ahs sure enough, there was a dolphin leaping playfully in the surf.
That made my day and made up for some of the disappointment I'd felt in Amorgos. Because dolphis are said to be good luck. The sea here used to be full of them but in recent years fishermen have killed many of them as they get caught inthe fishing nets. Such a shame as they are the most beautiful and intelligent of all sea creatures. It's aways such a thrill to see a pod of them folloiwng alongside the boat.
so we reached Naxos again in five hours and in time for a quiet lunch at the port before AB had to board her ferry to Santorini. We said our goodbyes. Kalo taxidi, And wished each other well til the next meeting of the Assembly of 2009.
I caught the bust to Iria Beach and here I am again, with my very own studio apartment and av iew of the sea from the lttle porch. It feels good to be back here, and to be alone again, the solo traveler I alwaysu sed to be. I'll stay here three days so I can take the round the island tour tomorrow and then it's back ot Athens once again.
NEXT: NAXOS, PART 2 : a shocking discovery!!!
In between Amorgos and Naxos is a chain of little islands known as "Mikres Kyklades", the Little Cycades. Only four of them are populated with permanent residents. In antiquity they were fairly densely populated as is evident from archaeologica finds there from the Cycladi and Minoan periods. During the Middle Ages, only pirates lived there. After Greek Independnece, hardy folk from the other islands came and made their homes there. Until recently, the only visitors there wre Greeks. Now there is a small influx of tourists, mostly backpakcers and hikers.
The links of the other islands are tenuous because ferry service is infrequent. The Ast Baot Expres Skopeliis links the little Cyclades with Amorgos and Naxos and that's the oat we took from Amorgos on Wed. morning at 7 a.m.
The first stop was at Donousa, the northermost of the group. According to the Lonely Planet guide, it has a population o 110. There's not much here except good beaches and as its the least accessible of the islands it doesn't get much ferry traffic. You can camp there but there's no real facilities.
At Koufonisia, thenext stop, a group of young people boarded and they happened to be Canadian archaeological students from Ontario who had been on the island since the eginning of May working on a Cycladic period dig.
This island has more to offer than the others and appeared to be popular with the hiking/backpacking crowd . I made note of a number of seniors, mostly Brits or Norse, or German setting off with their hiking sticks and back packs. It's the smllest of the isaldn group but the most denseley populate d( 284 people). Mainly the islanders are fishermen and Koufanissia boasts the largest fishing fleet in Greece inn proportion to it s population. I'ts an attractive island and has managed to keep it's younger inhabitants conseuently it doesn't hve the ghost-town effect of some other Cycldic islands. The beaches of golden sand ad the crystal clear water is a big attraction. The water is so clear I had to take a photo to prove it.
Skinousa was the next port ( pop 120) It's a little gem of an island with a golden landscape and a pastoral feeling and lovely beaches. (You have to take you rown food and water as there are no shops or taversn at the beach).
Iraklia (11o) is another barren island with not much else but a couple of tiny villages and a beach. Evidently this is a favorite hide-awayfrom Germans who go there every year. There's a cave with stalectites but not much else to see there.
As we cruised away I saw what I'd been looking for ever since ouar vayage from Venice. All along the way, on every ferry trip, I'd been sending out telepathic messages to the dolphins (that's the way you 'call' them, I've been tod. And it usually works) But this time it didn't appear to have been successful. I was standing at the deck rail wathicn th islands and reefs slip by when suddenly a man near me shouted "Look there!" ahs sure enough, there was a dolphin leaping playfully in the surf.
That made my day and made up for some of the disappointment I'd felt in Amorgos. Because dolphis are said to be good luck. The sea here used to be full of them but in recent years fishermen have killed many of them as they get caught inthe fishing nets. Such a shame as they are the most beautiful and intelligent of all sea creatures. It's aways such a thrill to see a pod of them folloiwng alongside the boat.
so we reached Naxos again in five hours and in time for a quiet lunch at the port before AB had to board her ferry to Santorini. We said our goodbyes. Kalo taxidi, And wished each other well til the next meeting of the Assembly of 2009.
I caught the bust to Iria Beach and here I am again, with my very own studio apartment and av iew of the sea from the lttle porch. It feels good to be back here, and to be alone again, the solo traveler I alwaysu sed to be. I'll stay here three days so I can take the round the island tour tomorrow and then it's back ot Athens once again.
NEXT: NAXOS, PART 2 : a shocking discovery!!!
AMORGOS: AEGIALI BAY
June 11.
Quite a few years ago I bought post card with a photo of a beautiful village with white cubistic houses clinging to the mountainside above a bay. This is it. Aegiali Bay on the little Cycladic Island of Amorgos.
When we arrived we wre driven up to theposh Aegiali Hotel on the mountain overlooking the bay, the water so clear and brilliant turquoise you can see down into the depths. I was awestruck to the point of tears. This was it! The post card picture I had horded all those years. Finally I had arrived!
It began in April when I was sent a notice by the travel writers org. regarding a conference for tourism and culture at Amorgos. I contacted the travel agent there and introduced myself. i couldn't attend the confrerence, but I was coming to Greece and would definitely like to visit Amorgos in order to write about it. She responded eager to meet me and show me the island.
Amorgos isn't one of the Cycladic islands like Mykonos or Naxos that has as yet been overrun with tourism, although it is popular with some Brits, Scandanavians, French and Germans who come each year. It's a rugged, barren mountainous island, its main attraction being the extraordinary Monastary which clings to a cliff high above the sea. It's an enticing island for those who want to get off the trouist route and explore, an island which is still like the Greece of 20 years ago except I was told twenty years ago there were no rods. At Aegiali the atmosphere is definitely laid back, perhaps a left over hippie vibe fro the '70's hwne the hippies came to camp on the beaches. There is hardly any traffic and few tourists except the happy groups of Norse folk with their beautiful blonde children, and the hardy Brit seniors who have come to hike in the hills.
We waited in the hotel's reception area, treated to a refreshing drink and talked to an interesting German many who has been coming there for years. Aside from the greeting we received on arrival, we were pretty much left alone until the driver came and said he was takingus to our room. I had turned down the offer of an expensive suite at the hotel/spa and asked for a more doest accomodation. We were told we would have a room at the "new" Cabana Complex on the beach. So we wre whisked away from the posh hotel complex (like two poor relaations) and taken to a room on the beach (which was good as it had access to the town) but the room was very poorly equiped, no hangers for our clothes, no plce to hang wet twels etc, no cups for our coffeee. This was quite a let-down after what we'd had a Naxos for the same price! (In addition, the first morning we used the electrive kettle provied, the elctricity went kaput). Down below us was a sea-side bar but the men running it were so surly we felt uncomfortable ween asking questions, as they made it seem like such a burden. (We had to deal with the bar guy to pay our hotel bill in the end or take a taxi up the mountain to the hotel.) From the time we arrived, nobody from Aigiali Tourism contacted us. Eventually, after calls regarding the lack of electricity, the woman expressed surprise we were leaving so soon and said she'd intended to invite us for a dinner. No such invitation had been indicated on our arrival and we couldn't take advantage of the offer of a massage or use of the pool, gym etc as the hotel was so far awy from where we were locate. What upset me most was, she knew I was there to write about the island, but made no offer to include us in the tours that the company offers guests.
Instead, we made our own way by bus to the famous monastary. For starters, the bus serice on the island is sparse. We were dropped off by the roadsie at 12.30 and the returning bus to the
chora and the other port of Katopolo was at 1.20. It took over half an hour to slog our way up the cobbled pathway and many, many steps to the monastary. Then I discovered I was not allowed to enter as I was wearing pants. (At Meteora they supply wraps and I had assumed - wrongly - they would here too). I waited inside the shad eof AB to enter the sanctuary. I was already exhausted and saturated with sweat from the long hike up.
The Moni Hazouretissia is an 11thc. monastary which contains a miraculous icon found in the sea elow and believed to have arrived (on it's own) from Jerusalem.
The dazzling white building clings percariously to a cliff face aove the coast. Three monks still live there.
I waited in the shaded area and eventually a kind lady from Worcester Eng came along and offered to loan me her town for a skirt. I climbed up the steep stairway to th sanctuary but it was already closed. I was invited into the waiting are and offered a Turksih delight and small glass of local raki and wter.
Then began the trek back down the hundreds of stesp to the road. And just our luck, we had missed the us back to Hora.
"Only two kilometers. It's not far!" we were told. But it was uphill, on a winding mountain road, midday, blazing hot sun and not bitt of shade anywhere. We slogged on, exhausted. Even though I wore a hat and carried water I swear that if I'd had to walk one more kilometere I would have collapsed of heat stoke. I could feel the blood throbbing in my head and began to get worried that I'd neer make it. We won our fitness bedges that day for sure!
Finally, we reached Hora, a small Cycadic village 400 m. above the sea. It's all white buildings and capped with a 12 cent. Kastro high on a rock. By that time thougn, we had little interest in archaeologogical finds or history. We sat in a shady cafe and slurped down iced tea, debaint on what to do next as we'd missed the bus to town. AB wanted to cab it to Aigiali: 18 Eur. I wanted a look at Katopolo, down at the coast : 8 Euro. We ended up sharing a cab with a Norse lady and her two kids who had also missed the bus.
Another disappointment, as though it the principal port occuping a large bay, Katapolo didn't hve the magical charm of Aigiali. The each was pebbly and u ninviting 9dirty) and there was nothing much to see except the famour Big Blue Pub, named after the French fil The Big Blue, filmed in Amrogos in the late '80's, which evidently they show at the pub each night at 8.
We walked over, took some photos of it, and left to catch the bus. The drive back to Aegiali was one of those hair raising, breath-taking rides where at every narrow hairpin turn you gasp, genuflect and pray the brakes are working. I dare say it was even more winding, spectacular and freaky than the drive therough the Andes that Patrick and I took last Nov. to Argentina.
To say the scenery was spectaucrular was an u nderstatement and I took a few photos from the bus indow to prove it. We eventually arrived safely in Aegiali only to face a few more hassles with the unfriendly tavern guys trying to get the electricity turned on. We were not amused!
By the we were both tired, hot and cranky and headed to the beach in separate directions. Our last night in Aegilia wasn't so much fun at all. We had arrived hopeful and excited, impressed with the lovely setting, the magical twinkling of the stars and lights of the tiny villages tucked high in the folds of the mountains, the pleasant beach, the otherwise friendly people in the town. But we were very disappointed by the reception we'd had and felt 'abandoned', really, and as AB said even the room they gave us seemed 'abandoned".
A nice memory t hough, was our conversation with the German man who we met again on various occasions, and the cheerful interesting chats with the lovely man w ho ran the Slini Taverna by the sea. He spoke several languages fluently and was so helpful and kind to us. I know when I saw him that I could fall in love again. maybe because he reminded me of Anibal in a way. I'd like to return there, wish I could have stayed longer (without the hassles) It is a good place to retreat, perhaps to hole up to write or paint or just refelct on life. That was my best impression of Aegiali and if you want a place that is quiet and unexploited, I'd recommend. it.
NEXT: The Little Cyclades (The journey back to NAxos)
Quite a few years ago I bought post card with a photo of a beautiful village with white cubistic houses clinging to the mountainside above a bay. This is it. Aegiali Bay on the little Cycladic Island of Amorgos.
When we arrived we wre driven up to theposh Aegiali Hotel on the mountain overlooking the bay, the water so clear and brilliant turquoise you can see down into the depths. I was awestruck to the point of tears. This was it! The post card picture I had horded all those years. Finally I had arrived!
It began in April when I was sent a notice by the travel writers org. regarding a conference for tourism and culture at Amorgos. I contacted the travel agent there and introduced myself. i couldn't attend the confrerence, but I was coming to Greece and would definitely like to visit Amorgos in order to write about it. She responded eager to meet me and show me the island.
Amorgos isn't one of the Cycladic islands like Mykonos or Naxos that has as yet been overrun with tourism, although it is popular with some Brits, Scandanavians, French and Germans who come each year. It's a rugged, barren mountainous island, its main attraction being the extraordinary Monastary which clings to a cliff high above the sea. It's an enticing island for those who want to get off the trouist route and explore, an island which is still like the Greece of 20 years ago except I was told twenty years ago there were no rods. At Aegiali the atmosphere is definitely laid back, perhaps a left over hippie vibe fro the '70's hwne the hippies came to camp on the beaches. There is hardly any traffic and few tourists except the happy groups of Norse folk with their beautiful blonde children, and the hardy Brit seniors who have come to hike in the hills.
We waited in the hotel's reception area, treated to a refreshing drink and talked to an interesting German many who has been coming there for years. Aside from the greeting we received on arrival, we were pretty much left alone until the driver came and said he was takingus to our room. I had turned down the offer of an expensive suite at the hotel/spa and asked for a more doest accomodation. We were told we would have a room at the "new" Cabana Complex on the beach. So we wre whisked away from the posh hotel complex (like two poor relaations) and taken to a room on the beach (which was good as it had access to the town) but the room was very poorly equiped, no hangers for our clothes, no plce to hang wet twels etc, no cups for our coffeee. This was quite a let-down after what we'd had a Naxos for the same price! (In addition, the first morning we used the electrive kettle provied, the elctricity went kaput). Down below us was a sea-side bar but the men running it were so surly we felt uncomfortable ween asking questions, as they made it seem like such a burden. (We had to deal with the bar guy to pay our hotel bill in the end or take a taxi up the mountain to the hotel.) From the time we arrived, nobody from Aigiali Tourism contacted us. Eventually, after calls regarding the lack of electricity, the woman expressed surprise we were leaving so soon and said she'd intended to invite us for a dinner. No such invitation had been indicated on our arrival and we couldn't take advantage of the offer of a massage or use of the pool, gym etc as the hotel was so far awy from where we were locate. What upset me most was, she knew I was there to write about the island, but made no offer to include us in the tours that the company offers guests.
Instead, we made our own way by bus to the famous monastary. For starters, the bus serice on the island is sparse. We were dropped off by the roadsie at 12.30 and the returning bus to the
chora and the other port of Katopolo was at 1.20. It took over half an hour to slog our way up the cobbled pathway and many, many steps to the monastary. Then I discovered I was not allowed to enter as I was wearing pants. (At Meteora they supply wraps and I had assumed - wrongly - they would here too). I waited inside the shad eof AB to enter the sanctuary. I was already exhausted and saturated with sweat from the long hike up.
The Moni Hazouretissia is an 11thc. monastary which contains a miraculous icon found in the sea elow and believed to have arrived (on it's own) from Jerusalem.
The dazzling white building clings percariously to a cliff face aove the coast. Three monks still live there.
I waited in the shaded area and eventually a kind lady from Worcester Eng came along and offered to loan me her town for a skirt. I climbed up the steep stairway to th sanctuary but it was already closed. I was invited into the waiting are and offered a Turksih delight and small glass of local raki and wter.
Then began the trek back down the hundreds of stesp to the road. And just our luck, we had missed the us back to Hora.
"Only two kilometers. It's not far!" we were told. But it was uphill, on a winding mountain road, midday, blazing hot sun and not bitt of shade anywhere. We slogged on, exhausted. Even though I wore a hat and carried water I swear that if I'd had to walk one more kilometere I would have collapsed of heat stoke. I could feel the blood throbbing in my head and began to get worried that I'd neer make it. We won our fitness bedges that day for sure!
Finally, we reached Hora, a small Cycadic village 400 m. above the sea. It's all white buildings and capped with a 12 cent. Kastro high on a rock. By that time thougn, we had little interest in archaeologogical finds or history. We sat in a shady cafe and slurped down iced tea, debaint on what to do next as we'd missed the bus to town. AB wanted to cab it to Aigiali: 18 Eur. I wanted a look at Katopolo, down at the coast : 8 Euro. We ended up sharing a cab with a Norse lady and her two kids who had also missed the bus.
Another disappointment, as though it the principal port occuping a large bay, Katapolo didn't hve the magical charm of Aigiali. The each was pebbly and u ninviting 9dirty) and there was nothing much to see except the famour Big Blue Pub, named after the French fil The Big Blue, filmed in Amrogos in the late '80's, which evidently they show at the pub each night at 8.
We walked over, took some photos of it, and left to catch the bus. The drive back to Aegiali was one of those hair raising, breath-taking rides where at every narrow hairpin turn you gasp, genuflect and pray the brakes are working. I dare say it was even more winding, spectacular and freaky than the drive therough the Andes that Patrick and I took last Nov. to Argentina.
To say the scenery was spectaucrular was an u nderstatement and I took a few photos from the bus indow to prove it. We eventually arrived safely in Aegiali only to face a few more hassles with the unfriendly tavern guys trying to get the electricity turned on. We were not amused!
By the we were both tired, hot and cranky and headed to the beach in separate directions. Our last night in Aegilia wasn't so much fun at all. We had arrived hopeful and excited, impressed with the lovely setting, the magical twinkling of the stars and lights of the tiny villages tucked high in the folds of the mountains, the pleasant beach, the otherwise friendly people in the town. But we were very disappointed by the reception we'd had and felt 'abandoned', really, and as AB said even the room they gave us seemed 'abandoned".
A nice memory t hough, was our conversation with the German man who we met again on various occasions, and the cheerful interesting chats with the lovely man w ho ran the Slini Taverna by the sea. He spoke several languages fluently and was so helpful and kind to us. I know when I saw him that I could fall in love again. maybe because he reminded me of Anibal in a way. I'd like to return there, wish I could have stayed longer (without the hassles) It is a good place to retreat, perhaps to hole up to write or paint or just refelct on life. That was my best impression of Aegiali and if you want a place that is quiet and unexploited, I'd recommend. it.
NEXT: The Little Cyclades (The journey back to NAxos)
A STUDIO BY THE SEA
June 9/07
NAXOS
I'm sitting on the porchof our sea-side bungalow on Naxos. We arrived a couple of hours ago after a 7 hour ferry trip, sunning ourselves on the deck most of the way though it got blowy later on. The ship was like a cruise liner, once again we were so impressed with the service and posh condition of the quarters.
Our studio at Iria Beach Hotel is right on the beach and we have a huge room with a kitchenette for only 40 Euro a night. Once we got settled we went for a swim. The beach is pure fine sand and the sea is cystal clear and clean.
The hotel is a few kms. from Naxos town but there's a bus service. Agia Anna where we are located is a small village with many beach tavernas ad fascilities at hand. The beach here is a long arc of sand. There are plenty of sandy beacheson Naxos so its a good spot to spend a few days for some R & R. We'll be here til Monday, then we're going to Amorgos for a couple of days. I've decided to return here to Iria Beach for a few days afterwards in order to take the round the island tour. This iss and interesting island and I don't want to miss the opportunity to see around. It will also be nice to have a couple of days all on my own after such a busy time spent with friends, always on the go and sometimes being the tour guide.
On the way here, the ferry stopped in at Paros port. I was amazed at how the town has grown since the last time I visited there some years ago. All these islands are becoming very populated and touristic. Paros is famous for the pure white marble from whichit became prosperous from the early cycladic period. The famous Venus de Milo was carved of Parian marble.
Naxos is only a short distance away. It's the largest and most fertile of the cyclades and one of the most beauitufl. It's the island where, according to legend, Theseus abandoned Ariadne after she helped him escape from the labyrinth in Crete. (She was soon whisked away by Dionysos, the god of wine and ecstasy). Ever since, Naxos has been famous for its wine. There's also another traditional drink here called "Kitron" made from citron fruit (like a large lemon) introduced to the Mediterranean area by Alexander the Great who brought it from Persia. Up until the Christian era it was the only citrus fruit cultivated in Europe. It was known for its medicinal qualities and was a symbol of fertility and affluence. The ancient Greeks called it the "Median apple" (From Medea, the ancient Greek name for Persia). Apparantly it's very good after a sea-food dinner. I'm going to try and buy some as it's impossible to buy outside of Greece.
Tomorrow we'll venture into town. Hors is the main port with two historic neighbourhoods: Bourgos where the Greeks lived and Kastro where the Veneitans lived. At the entrance to the harbour is anislet where Naxos' most famous landmarks, the portal (or Palatia) of the unfinished Temple of Apollo stands. (Ariadne was also supposed to have had a palace there)
In the town itself, especially up the hllside form the prt in Kastro, are some attractive Venetian dwellings, some with the insignia of their former owners on the doors. It has a medieval atmosphere with vaulted streets and cobbled lanes. Close by is the Venetian castle and museum with the Kastro ramparts by the gates.
Tonight we are off to explore our beach village and we shall find a good taverna overlooking the sea where we can eat mezedes and drink some retsina.
NEXT:AMORGOS, Aegiali Bay
NAXOS
I'm sitting on the porchof our sea-side bungalow on Naxos. We arrived a couple of hours ago after a 7 hour ferry trip, sunning ourselves on the deck most of the way though it got blowy later on. The ship was like a cruise liner, once again we were so impressed with the service and posh condition of the quarters.
Our studio at Iria Beach Hotel is right on the beach and we have a huge room with a kitchenette for only 40 Euro a night. Once we got settled we went for a swim. The beach is pure fine sand and the sea is cystal clear and clean.
The hotel is a few kms. from Naxos town but there's a bus service. Agia Anna where we are located is a small village with many beach tavernas ad fascilities at hand. The beach here is a long arc of sand. There are plenty of sandy beacheson Naxos so its a good spot to spend a few days for some R & R. We'll be here til Monday, then we're going to Amorgos for a couple of days. I've decided to return here to Iria Beach for a few days afterwards in order to take the round the island tour. This iss and interesting island and I don't want to miss the opportunity to see around. It will also be nice to have a couple of days all on my own after such a busy time spent with friends, always on the go and sometimes being the tour guide.
On the way here, the ferry stopped in at Paros port. I was amazed at how the town has grown since the last time I visited there some years ago. All these islands are becoming very populated and touristic. Paros is famous for the pure white marble from whichit became prosperous from the early cycladic period. The famous Venus de Milo was carved of Parian marble.
Naxos is only a short distance away. It's the largest and most fertile of the cyclades and one of the most beauitufl. It's the island where, according to legend, Theseus abandoned Ariadne after she helped him escape from the labyrinth in Crete. (She was soon whisked away by Dionysos, the god of wine and ecstasy). Ever since, Naxos has been famous for its wine. There's also another traditional drink here called "Kitron" made from citron fruit (like a large lemon) introduced to the Mediterranean area by Alexander the Great who brought it from Persia. Up until the Christian era it was the only citrus fruit cultivated in Europe. It was known for its medicinal qualities and was a symbol of fertility and affluence. The ancient Greeks called it the "Median apple" (From Medea, the ancient Greek name for Persia). Apparantly it's very good after a sea-food dinner. I'm going to try and buy some as it's impossible to buy outside of Greece.
Tomorrow we'll venture into town. Hors is the main port with two historic neighbourhoods: Bourgos where the Greeks lived and Kastro where the Veneitans lived. At the entrance to the harbour is anislet where Naxos' most famous landmarks, the portal (or Palatia) of the unfinished Temple of Apollo stands. (Ariadne was also supposed to have had a palace there)
In the town itself, especially up the hllside form the prt in Kastro, are some attractive Venetian dwellings, some with the insignia of their former owners on the doors. It has a medieval atmosphere with vaulted streets and cobbled lanes. Close by is the Venetian castle and museum with the Kastro ramparts by the gates.
Tonight we are off to explore our beach village and we shall find a good taverna overlooking the sea where we can eat mezedes and drink some retsina.
NEXT:AMORGOS, Aegiali Bay
MORE GOODBYES
June 8.
Had another busy day today running around town on various gquests nd errnds, some of which proved futiles. I was trying to buy tickets to the Haris
Alexiou concert June 15 but didn't succeed. We did find some great Greek CDs at Virgin and later went shopping for sourveniers and eventually, after various unsuccessful attempts, found Carola's tourist office (Trouble was, the number 4 written on the address looked like {"21") Anyway, managed to pay for our Mykonos studio and booked one for Naxos right on the beach. Anna Britt and i are leaving on the 10 a.m. ferry tomorrow, plan to spend a couple of dys there then go on to Amorgos. Vesa and Joonas are leaving tomorrow for Finland so we all had a nice unch together at the TKA and made little speechees about how this Assembly has meant so much to eachof us, both spiritually and inspirationally for our personal goals and aspiration. We have already started talking about the next Assembly in 2009.
While we were sitting there being philosophical, there was great crashing across the narrow road as the wreckers demolished Waverly's apartment. They have erected a kind of screen (very flimsy!) over the scaffolding above the sidewalk and it appeared as if the big chunks of cement would come righ down on the road below where cars and pedestrians pass (and we were sitting enjoying our lunch). The workemn on top of the rubble had no safety helmets, no work gloves and likely no steel-toed boots. This is Greece!
This evening I'm meeting Carola and Chris and Deb in the Veikou plateia for coffee, then meeting Anna Britt later at the TKA. Deb isn't coming to Naxos with us as she wants to get to Skaithos and spend some time looking up old acquintences and reconstructing herself. So it's kalo taxidi to her as well.
The Assembly has now been officially dismissed until next tim.
NEXT: ANOTHER ISLAND ADVENTURE
Had another busy day today running around town on various gquests nd errnds, some of which proved futiles. I was trying to buy tickets to the Haris
Alexiou concert June 15 but didn't succeed. We did find some great Greek CDs at Virgin and later went shopping for sourveniers and eventually, after various unsuccessful attempts, found Carola's tourist office (Trouble was, the number 4 written on the address looked like {"21") Anyway, managed to pay for our Mykonos studio and booked one for Naxos right on the beach. Anna Britt and i are leaving on the 10 a.m. ferry tomorrow, plan to spend a couple of dys there then go on to Amorgos. Vesa and Joonas are leaving tomorrow for Finland so we all had a nice unch together at the TKA and made little speechees about how this Assembly has meant so much to eachof us, both spiritually and inspirationally for our personal goals and aspiration. We have already started talking about the next Assembly in 2009.
While we were sitting there being philosophical, there was great crashing across the narrow road as the wreckers demolished Waverly's apartment. They have erected a kind of screen (very flimsy!) over the scaffolding above the sidewalk and it appeared as if the big chunks of cement would come righ down on the road below where cars and pedestrians pass (and we were sitting enjoying our lunch). The workemn on top of the rubble had no safety helmets, no work gloves and likely no steel-toed boots. This is Greece!
This evening I'm meeting Carola and Chris and Deb in the Veikou plateia for coffee, then meeting Anna Britt later at the TKA. Deb isn't coming to Naxos with us as she wants to get to Skaithos and spend some time looking up old acquintences and reconstructing herself. So it's kalo taxidi to her as well.
The Assembly has now been officially dismissed until next tim.
NEXT: ANOTHER ISLAND ADVENTURE
A DAY BY THE SEA
June 7
A favorite day trip from Athens is a cruise over to Aegina, one of the Saronic Islands. It only takes a little over an hour to get there. I was astonished at the new beaautiful ferry - so unlike the old tubs that we used to take there. B.C. Ferries should take some lessons from the Greek naval system!
It's a pleasant cruise to Aegina. The boat passes Salamis in the Saronic Gulf, site of a historical naval battle when the Greek won a victory over the Persian fleet in 480 BC.
Aegina was itself a major player in the Hellenic world because of its stratetic position. It was a commercial centre in about 1000 BC and eventually became a premier maritime power amassing great fortune through trading with Egypt and Phoenicia. Athens attacked the island in 459 BC and Aegina was defeated and forced to pull down it's walls (you can still see fragements of them along the shore front). In the 1800's Aegina was declared the temporary capital of Greece but nowadays it is a humble island, popular with weekend tourists and Greeks who want a quiet get away.
We pulled into port just before noon and headed straight for the beach a few meters away; paid 3 Euro each of beach chairs and umbrellas and parked ourselves for the day.
The sea is shallow there and tepid, so many pleasant hours were spent floating and splashing and diving. Deb and Ingrid opted ot just lay and suntan and read while the restof us frolicked in the sea. Great fun!
We took a break ater in the afternoon and crossed the road to our favorite seafood taverna for a fine feast of kalamaria, sardines, Greek salada andother tasty goodies. Then back to the beach for more sun and swims until 7.45 when the ferrry chugged into port an it was time to leave.
It was Ingrid's last day in Greece, so later I escorted her to the airport bus and we said our farewells. It has been truly a pleasure travelling with Ingrid. She is an excellent companion and i"ll miss her company. But when I return to Vancouver the end of June we'll sit on her patio and have many things to reminisce about our adventures together.
NEXT: More Goodbyes
A favorite day trip from Athens is a cruise over to Aegina, one of the Saronic Islands. It only takes a little over an hour to get there. I was astonished at the new beaautiful ferry - so unlike the old tubs that we used to take there. B.C. Ferries should take some lessons from the Greek naval system!
It's a pleasant cruise to Aegina. The boat passes Salamis in the Saronic Gulf, site of a historical naval battle when the Greek won a victory over the Persian fleet in 480 BC.
Aegina was itself a major player in the Hellenic world because of its stratetic position. It was a commercial centre in about 1000 BC and eventually became a premier maritime power amassing great fortune through trading with Egypt and Phoenicia. Athens attacked the island in 459 BC and Aegina was defeated and forced to pull down it's walls (you can still see fragements of them along the shore front). In the 1800's Aegina was declared the temporary capital of Greece but nowadays it is a humble island, popular with weekend tourists and Greeks who want a quiet get away.
We pulled into port just before noon and headed straight for the beach a few meters away; paid 3 Euro each of beach chairs and umbrellas and parked ourselves for the day.
The sea is shallow there and tepid, so many pleasant hours were spent floating and splashing and diving. Deb and Ingrid opted ot just lay and suntan and read while the restof us frolicked in the sea. Great fun!
We took a break ater in the afternoon and crossed the road to our favorite seafood taverna for a fine feast of kalamaria, sardines, Greek salada andother tasty goodies. Then back to the beach for more sun and swims until 7.45 when the ferrry chugged into port an it was time to leave.
It was Ingrid's last day in Greece, so later I escorted her to the airport bus and we said our farewells. It has been truly a pleasure travelling with Ingrid. She is an excellent companion and i"ll miss her company. But when I return to Vancouver the end of June we'll sit on her patio and have many things to reminisce about our adventures together.
NEXT: More Goodbyes
LIVING THE LIFE, THE ZOE
NOTE; THE LAST TWO BLOGS WERE ACCIDENTLY POSTED ON MY 'LIVING THE WRITER'S LIFE' BLOG SPOT SO PLEASE READ THEM THERE.
"The Sunset Picnic" and "Pilgrimage to Delphi"
June 6/07 The Assembly decided today that it's exhasting tramping about archeological sites so tomorrow we're taking a boat to Aegina, a short voyage (like going to the Gulf Islands for any of you who live on the Coast). And we're going to spend a leisure day lying on the beach relaxing.
Today we trooped off to the icon painter's workshop in Monastiraki, an amazing collection of the most beauitufl icons we've seen (and we've looked at many!) We all came out of there laden with purchases and made our way over to my old haunts by the Tower of the Winds where the Poulakis Taverna used to be the main hangoug when I first started visiting Greece in '79 and later whenI came to live here in '83. The Poulakis is nolger there but my favorite waiter Ari is, and still works next door at the
acroppolis Taverna. He's always happy to see me -- we've had a long aquaintance -- so last nightand again today I went there with my friends.
"Agai mou!Koukla, s'agapow!" Big hugs and kisses and a very warm welcome. We decided to use more of our Acropolis tickets to go to visit the Agora nearby. The agora, of coure, being the ancient market and meeting place. I am very familiar with this area. On my ver first visit to Greece in '79 when I stopped out of my little hotel Tempi on eolou St. I had no idea where I was going or where I was, in fact, and just let my feet take me wherever they wanted to.
I turned a corner and suddenly there I was, in the ancient agora, and as if a film fell from my eyes, I could see it exactly as it had been. A real deja vu experience. And I just stood there, awe struck and burst into tears.
I've been back so many times and in fact spent hours there on my last trip tracking the footsteps of Phokion, the military general in Athens in 318 BC, because a good part of a recent chapter of "Shadow" takes place there. I always feel as if it's familiar territory, like I was there long ago, so no matter how often I return it's like going back to a very special place in my memory.
We trudged around awhile but my poor feet were suffering as I'd only worn sandals. So we headed out of plaka to find an icecream shop where we sat awhile to rest and refresh ourselves.
Tonight, after a visit to the web cafe, I'm just sitting in the courtyard drinking wine an activity that I enjoy as much as anything. All part of the life here.
Tomorrow we're off to Aegina for a day on the beach. I've been longing for a swim so I'm looking forward to this little break in all the action.
NEXT: A DAY IN THE SUN
"The Sunset Picnic" and "Pilgrimage to Delphi"
June 6/07 The Assembly decided today that it's exhasting tramping about archeological sites so tomorrow we're taking a boat to Aegina, a short voyage (like going to the Gulf Islands for any of you who live on the Coast). And we're going to spend a leisure day lying on the beach relaxing.
Today we trooped off to the icon painter's workshop in Monastiraki, an amazing collection of the most beauitufl icons we've seen (and we've looked at many!) We all came out of there laden with purchases and made our way over to my old haunts by the Tower of the Winds where the Poulakis Taverna used to be the main hangoug when I first started visiting Greece in '79 and later whenI came to live here in '83. The Poulakis is nolger there but my favorite waiter Ari is, and still works next door at the
acroppolis Taverna. He's always happy to see me -- we've had a long aquaintance -- so last nightand again today I went there with my friends.
"Agai mou!Koukla, s'agapow!" Big hugs and kisses and a very warm welcome. We decided to use more of our Acropolis tickets to go to visit the Agora nearby. The agora, of coure, being the ancient market and meeting place. I am very familiar with this area. On my ver first visit to Greece in '79 when I stopped out of my little hotel Tempi on eolou St. I had no idea where I was going or where I was, in fact, and just let my feet take me wherever they wanted to.
I turned a corner and suddenly there I was, in the ancient agora, and as if a film fell from my eyes, I could see it exactly as it had been. A real deja vu experience. And I just stood there, awe struck and burst into tears.
I've been back so many times and in fact spent hours there on my last trip tracking the footsteps of Phokion, the military general in Athens in 318 BC, because a good part of a recent chapter of "Shadow" takes place there. I always feel as if it's familiar territory, like I was there long ago, so no matter how often I return it's like going back to a very special place in my memory.
We trudged around awhile but my poor feet were suffering as I'd only worn sandals. So we headed out of plaka to find an icecream shop where we sat awhile to rest and refresh ourselves.
Tonight, after a visit to the web cafe, I'm just sitting in the courtyard drinking wine an activity that I enjoy as much as anything. All part of the life here.
Tomorrow we're off to Aegina for a day on the beach. I've been longing for a swim so I'm looking forward to this little break in all the action.
NEXT: A DAY IN THE SUN
Saturday, June 02, 2007
ISLAND HOPPING
MAY 30 - JUNE 1
Our three day excursion to the islands has been a wonderful adenture. We left Pireaus early Wednesday morning by Super Fast Ferry and it took only four hours to reach Pireaus with one stop at Syros and another uick one at Tinos. My friend Crola had prearranged accomodations for us at the lovely Mykonos Beach HOtel (55 Eur night) and we caught a cab from the port and got settled right away in our pretty little beach bungalow. Then we set off to texplore the labyrinthine whorl of streets in the town.
MYKONOS is the picture post-card Greece, along with Santorini, the most expensive of the Greek islands. The est times to visit it is late April to mid June or later after the summer. During the peak season the islad is the scene of hedonistic happenings and a crush of tourists, making it impossible to enjoy the island for its Cycladic charm -- the sun dazzling off the pristine white cubistic buildings with their blue and green trem, magenta bougainvillea spilling from balconies, the many small red or blue domed churches and the wide choice of beaches.
Mykonos town is a maze of winding narrow streets so when there are throngs of pushy tourists nd rowdy partyers it can become overbering. Fortunately for our visit we only had to contend with the occasional herd of happy shoppers who were desposited on shore from their cruise ships, stay for a few hours, then depart.
We visited Mykonos' famous row of windmills, some of which are now private dwellings, and took lots of photos of them as well as the most picturesque and photographed little church ont he island, the Church of Panagia Paraportiani, an amalgamation of four tiny churches lumped into one dazzling white asymmitrical building where the play of light and shadow off the multifacited structure make it a photogrphers delight. We even got a peek inside, lit a candle and had a look at the very old icons that decorate the walls.
Our hotel. the Mykonos Beach hotel was located on a beach just outside the town and shared a pool with it's sister hotel, the Mykonos Bay. The beach was stony so I enjoyed floating around in the beautiful pool which was chlorinated salt water. I pretty well had the pool to myself both times I went for a swim.
The first evening we were treated to one of those spectacular Aegean sunsets and enjoyed a relaxing dinner at a little taverna down the road called "Niko's Place" run by an English woman named Joanna with her capable crew of young women. The next morning we were up early to take the cruise boat over to the island of Delos.
DELOS is a small rocky island no more than 5 km long and 1.300 met. wide A sacred place to acient Greeks because it's the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. It's situatied in theheart of the Aegean in the centre of the Cyclades islands which form a circle around i. The Apollo sanctuary was estabised in the 9th centure BC and it was the place the ancient Greeks gathered to workshop Apollo, god of light, harmony and balance; and Artemis, the moon goddess, his twin sister. It became a rich port by the 5th century BC with merchangs, bankers and ship owners arriving from all over the Medterranean It also attracted artists, craftsmen, lyracists and writers. Diromg the Persian Wars in 478 BC Athens established an alliance known as the Delian League that kept a treasury at Delos. It was declared that no one could be born or die there and it became one of the most important Greek religious sites.
By the 1st cetury BC some 30,000 peope lived on the island. The Romans made Delos a free port in 167 BC and then brought even greater prosperity with a lucritive slave market that sold up to 10,000 people a day. Due to attacks by enemies and pirates the island gradally became abandoned and fell into decline.
It was a blazing hot day as we trudged the sonty archaeological site scaring little lizards who basked on the rocks. There's a new museum at Delos with impressive finds on display. And of course the highlight is to visit the row of stone lions, an offering from the Naxians to the shrine.
One of their sisters sits by the Arsenale in Venice, stolen away by seamen. The original remaining lions are stored in the museum so the ones you see on display outside are copies but identical and treated so the don't suffer the affects of the weather.
When we returned to Mykonos we had a very expensive lunch at one of the trendy seside tavernas at Little Venice (named so because the building crowd together with their foundations right in the sea, like the real Venice.) That evening at sunset, after a rest and a long swim in the pool, we again walked down to Nikos for dinner by the light of a full moon.
TINOS
Friday we caught the early ferry over to Tinos so we could have a look at the famous church there. This green, mountainous island is a Greek Orthodox place of pilgrimage. Each August, the celebrated Church of Panagia Evangelistia is visited by hundreds of pious souls, many of them infirm or disabled, who carwl up the hill on a carpeted pathway, making their way into the church to pray for blessings and miraculous cures for their ailments.
All the way up steep hill leading to the church, on one side of the road is a width of carpeting where supplicants crawl on hands and knees to the holy shrine, and up the red carpeted flights of steps into the church sanctuary.
Outise the church there's a lucrative trade in tall candles, incense, icons and evil-eye deterrants as well as small glass vials to be filled with holy water that comes from a hose and tap outside the church. The church dominates this otherwise ordinary town. The ornate facade, with graceful colonnades, is surrounded by a complex of religious buildings and museums. The church yard is an impressive stone mosaic and there is a fountain court. The interior of the church is hung with thousands of silver votive offerings, many of them with a nautical theme with tiny sailing ships, fish, and fishing boats. Tinos is an island of nootable seafarers and below the church is a memorial to the sailors killed on The Elli, a Greek shop torpeoded by anItalian submarine in Tinos' harbor on Assumption Day 1940.
The main feature of the church is the famous miraculous ican which is embedded with gold, silver, diamonds, pearls and surrounded by gifts from the hopeful. People file past and stop to genuflect and kiss the icon. We actually saw one elderly woman crawling in on her knees, inching across teh floor to kiss the icon and thenc raw l to the front of the church flessings from the priests. Whle we were there the priests(papas) were singing the liturgies and the church was full of people, so it ade a rather special ending to our island holiday.
NEXT: The ASSEMBLY OF 2007 and the Sunset Birthday Party on the Pnyx
Our three day excursion to the islands has been a wonderful adenture. We left Pireaus early Wednesday morning by Super Fast Ferry and it took only four hours to reach Pireaus with one stop at Syros and another uick one at Tinos. My friend Crola had prearranged accomodations for us at the lovely Mykonos Beach HOtel (55 Eur night) and we caught a cab from the port and got settled right away in our pretty little beach bungalow. Then we set off to texplore the labyrinthine whorl of streets in the town.
MYKONOS is the picture post-card Greece, along with Santorini, the most expensive of the Greek islands. The est times to visit it is late April to mid June or later after the summer. During the peak season the islad is the scene of hedonistic happenings and a crush of tourists, making it impossible to enjoy the island for its Cycladic charm -- the sun dazzling off the pristine white cubistic buildings with their blue and green trem, magenta bougainvillea spilling from balconies, the many small red or blue domed churches and the wide choice of beaches.
Mykonos town is a maze of winding narrow streets so when there are throngs of pushy tourists nd rowdy partyers it can become overbering. Fortunately for our visit we only had to contend with the occasional herd of happy shoppers who were desposited on shore from their cruise ships, stay for a few hours, then depart.
We visited Mykonos' famous row of windmills, some of which are now private dwellings, and took lots of photos of them as well as the most picturesque and photographed little church ont he island, the Church of Panagia Paraportiani, an amalgamation of four tiny churches lumped into one dazzling white asymmitrical building where the play of light and shadow off the multifacited structure make it a photogrphers delight. We even got a peek inside, lit a candle and had a look at the very old icons that decorate the walls.
Our hotel. the Mykonos Beach hotel was located on a beach just outside the town and shared a pool with it's sister hotel, the Mykonos Bay. The beach was stony so I enjoyed floating around in the beautiful pool which was chlorinated salt water. I pretty well had the pool to myself both times I went for a swim.
The first evening we were treated to one of those spectacular Aegean sunsets and enjoyed a relaxing dinner at a little taverna down the road called "Niko's Place" run by an English woman named Joanna with her capable crew of young women. The next morning we were up early to take the cruise boat over to the island of Delos.
DELOS is a small rocky island no more than 5 km long and 1.300 met. wide A sacred place to acient Greeks because it's the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. It's situatied in theheart of the Aegean in the centre of the Cyclades islands which form a circle around i. The Apollo sanctuary was estabised in the 9th centure BC and it was the place the ancient Greeks gathered to workshop Apollo, god of light, harmony and balance; and Artemis, the moon goddess, his twin sister. It became a rich port by the 5th century BC with merchangs, bankers and ship owners arriving from all over the Medterranean It also attracted artists, craftsmen, lyracists and writers. Diromg the Persian Wars in 478 BC Athens established an alliance known as the Delian League that kept a treasury at Delos. It was declared that no one could be born or die there and it became one of the most important Greek religious sites.
By the 1st cetury BC some 30,000 peope lived on the island. The Romans made Delos a free port in 167 BC and then brought even greater prosperity with a lucritive slave market that sold up to 10,000 people a day. Due to attacks by enemies and pirates the island gradally became abandoned and fell into decline.
It was a blazing hot day as we trudged the sonty archaeological site scaring little lizards who basked on the rocks. There's a new museum at Delos with impressive finds on display. And of course the highlight is to visit the row of stone lions, an offering from the Naxians to the shrine.
One of their sisters sits by the Arsenale in Venice, stolen away by seamen. The original remaining lions are stored in the museum so the ones you see on display outside are copies but identical and treated so the don't suffer the affects of the weather.
When we returned to Mykonos we had a very expensive lunch at one of the trendy seside tavernas at Little Venice (named so because the building crowd together with their foundations right in the sea, like the real Venice.) That evening at sunset, after a rest and a long swim in the pool, we again walked down to Nikos for dinner by the light of a full moon.
TINOS
Friday we caught the early ferry over to Tinos so we could have a look at the famous church there. This green, mountainous island is a Greek Orthodox place of pilgrimage. Each August, the celebrated Church of Panagia Evangelistia is visited by hundreds of pious souls, many of them infirm or disabled, who carwl up the hill on a carpeted pathway, making their way into the church to pray for blessings and miraculous cures for their ailments.
All the way up steep hill leading to the church, on one side of the road is a width of carpeting where supplicants crawl on hands and knees to the holy shrine, and up the red carpeted flights of steps into the church sanctuary.
Outise the church there's a lucrative trade in tall candles, incense, icons and evil-eye deterrants as well as small glass vials to be filled with holy water that comes from a hose and tap outside the church. The church dominates this otherwise ordinary town. The ornate facade, with graceful colonnades, is surrounded by a complex of religious buildings and museums. The church yard is an impressive stone mosaic and there is a fountain court. The interior of the church is hung with thousands of silver votive offerings, many of them with a nautical theme with tiny sailing ships, fish, and fishing boats. Tinos is an island of nootable seafarers and below the church is a memorial to the sailors killed on The Elli, a Greek shop torpeoded by anItalian submarine in Tinos' harbor on Assumption Day 1940.
The main feature of the church is the famous miraculous ican which is embedded with gold, silver, diamonds, pearls and surrounded by gifts from the hopeful. People file past and stop to genuflect and kiss the icon. We actually saw one elderly woman crawling in on her knees, inching across teh floor to kiss the icon and thenc raw l to the front of the church flessings from the priests. Whle we were there the priests(papas) were singing the liturgies and the church was full of people, so it ade a rather special ending to our island holiday.
NEXT: The ASSEMBLY OF 2007 and the Sunset Birthday Party on the Pnyx
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
ATHENS IN THE RAIN
MAY 28/29, 2007
Yesterday it poured rain, all the streets aflood. We got fairly soaked making the rounds early in the day but later it acleared enough to enjoy a late dinner in the courtyard. It's wonderful being back with my little 'family', Christina and Daniella. I sued to babysit Dani from the time she was barely a year old and now she's this gorgeous tall, slender twel-year old who looks like she should be a model. She's still that quiet, soft-spoken girlie she used to be. From her infancy she was exposed to various languages (Swedish, Greek, Arabic and English) so she didn't begin to talk right away. I'll neer forget the first day she suddenly uttered a phrase in English! Now she also studies French as well as being fluent in Greek, English and Swedish.
Ingrid and I set off to explore the old haunts yesterday (Monday). We had lunch at the To Kati Allo Taveran and were warmly greeted by the owners, Anna, Leonidas and their son Dino. They are gypsy people from Sparta and friends of the guy I always run into on the bus around Commercial Drive. Thjey proudly showed me the latest family portrait which includes Dino's pretty American wife and new baby boy named "Leo" after his grandpa. I've known Dino since he was a little kid playing with his toys at the taverna and as a teen-ager when he was learning to play the bouzouki. It seems so strange that now he's a grown man with a child of his own!
There have been other changes here in my old haunts too. I was dismayed to see that all the apartment buildings and shops across from the TKA have been torn down to make way for a most ugly structure that is the new Acropolis museum. It doesn't look at all like the attractive sketches shown when they were first starting to excavate for this new museum. It frankly is an eye sore and does nothing to enhance the lovely old Neo Classical buildings that surround it, or compliment the grand Classical architecture of the Parthenon (the view of which it hides).
Then on down to Vironos Street, where I used to live (Byron's Street). My beautiful house and courtyard at #14 seem unchanged but there is no more "Dirty Corner". They have covered over all the archaeological ruins that were there which made it an intriguing corner (the dust from the digs gave it it's name.) And the milk shop where all us ex-pats used to congregate has been taken over by a fancy restaurant so there are no more tables along the iron fence overlooking the old Byzantine ruins. When Lillian and I saw it we were aghast. There are so many memories for us on that corner and now they've been obliterated! (All to spiffy up the city for the Olympics.) I have to say there are some good improvements. Veikou Street has turned into the Yellow Brick Road with yellow paving slabs replacing the broken pavements. No more tripping and falling when coming home late from a night of wining and dining at the T.K.A. For the most part, the city looks really quite beautiful and cleaner than ever. Less smog. Still a lot of noisy traffic, especially from the annoying pakakia's that zoom around without their mufflers and young kids in cars with boom-boxes cranked up full volume blasting out Greek music.
It didn't take me long to get right back into the life "zoe", the life I like so much -- laid back and exciting and full of so many old memories. Lillian and I are the two old homing pigeons who keep returning. She's been part of Athens since the 60's but she's 83 now and as her Greek husband died some years ago she says this might be her last sentimental journey here. I doubt it will be mine! If I could afford to, I'd live here six months of the year like I used to.
Lillian and Ingrid and I met yesterday. She's on her way to Germany and then back to Florida. We had lunch today at TKA and talked about old times, connecting the dots with missing people. I was amazed to find the famous Hollywoods are still in town, apparantly occuping 3 suites in an apt. near Plaka Square. Diana the belly dancer is still living across from my old place on Vironos. Dino says that James , the other mad poet (a.k.a. Devin Devine the magician) was here last year -- said he'd come back to die here. Ha! He told me the last time I saw him four years ago that he was going back to the States to die and put me in charge of his 'last will and testament' and final collection of poems. I have been the keeper of his poetry for years and don't know what to do with it. Some of it's pretty brilliant and it seems a shame it's sitting in my closet.
We're all anticipating the big Assembly of 2007 reunion on Saturday at the TKA, 10 pm. I just had emails from Patrick and Vesa verifying they'll be there. And Deborah should arrive Sunday. Anna Britt is scheduled in from Santorini on Saturday night too. And we are trying to round up the locals we know. So far have several of them invited to the birthday on Sunday.
Ingrid and I are off to Mykonos in the morning (Wed) and will be there for a couple of days.
Back to Athens Friday. More blogs coming up. Watch for them!
NEXT: Tinos and Mykonos: the Divine and the Decadent
Yesterday it poured rain, all the streets aflood. We got fairly soaked making the rounds early in the day but later it acleared enough to enjoy a late dinner in the courtyard. It's wonderful being back with my little 'family', Christina and Daniella. I sued to babysit Dani from the time she was barely a year old and now she's this gorgeous tall, slender twel-year old who looks like she should be a model. She's still that quiet, soft-spoken girlie she used to be. From her infancy she was exposed to various languages (Swedish, Greek, Arabic and English) so she didn't begin to talk right away. I'll neer forget the first day she suddenly uttered a phrase in English! Now she also studies French as well as being fluent in Greek, English and Swedish.
Ingrid and I set off to explore the old haunts yesterday (Monday). We had lunch at the To Kati Allo Taveran and were warmly greeted by the owners, Anna, Leonidas and their son Dino. They are gypsy people from Sparta and friends of the guy I always run into on the bus around Commercial Drive. Thjey proudly showed me the latest family portrait which includes Dino's pretty American wife and new baby boy named "Leo" after his grandpa. I've known Dino since he was a little kid playing with his toys at the taverna and as a teen-ager when he was learning to play the bouzouki. It seems so strange that now he's a grown man with a child of his own!
There have been other changes here in my old haunts too. I was dismayed to see that all the apartment buildings and shops across from the TKA have been torn down to make way for a most ugly structure that is the new Acropolis museum. It doesn't look at all like the attractive sketches shown when they were first starting to excavate for this new museum. It frankly is an eye sore and does nothing to enhance the lovely old Neo Classical buildings that surround it, or compliment the grand Classical architecture of the Parthenon (the view of which it hides).
Then on down to Vironos Street, where I used to live (Byron's Street). My beautiful house and courtyard at #14 seem unchanged but there is no more "Dirty Corner". They have covered over all the archaeological ruins that were there which made it an intriguing corner (the dust from the digs gave it it's name.) And the milk shop where all us ex-pats used to congregate has been taken over by a fancy restaurant so there are no more tables along the iron fence overlooking the old Byzantine ruins. When Lillian and I saw it we were aghast. There are so many memories for us on that corner and now they've been obliterated! (All to spiffy up the city for the Olympics.) I have to say there are some good improvements. Veikou Street has turned into the Yellow Brick Road with yellow paving slabs replacing the broken pavements. No more tripping and falling when coming home late from a night of wining and dining at the T.K.A. For the most part, the city looks really quite beautiful and cleaner than ever. Less smog. Still a lot of noisy traffic, especially from the annoying pakakia's that zoom around without their mufflers and young kids in cars with boom-boxes cranked up full volume blasting out Greek music.
It didn't take me long to get right back into the life "zoe", the life I like so much -- laid back and exciting and full of so many old memories. Lillian and I are the two old homing pigeons who keep returning. She's been part of Athens since the 60's but she's 83 now and as her Greek husband died some years ago she says this might be her last sentimental journey here. I doubt it will be mine! If I could afford to, I'd live here six months of the year like I used to.
Lillian and Ingrid and I met yesterday. She's on her way to Germany and then back to Florida. We had lunch today at TKA and talked about old times, connecting the dots with missing people. I was amazed to find the famous Hollywoods are still in town, apparantly occuping 3 suites in an apt. near Plaka Square. Diana the belly dancer is still living across from my old place on Vironos. Dino says that James , the other mad poet (a.k.a. Devin Devine the magician) was here last year -- said he'd come back to die here. Ha! He told me the last time I saw him four years ago that he was going back to the States to die and put me in charge of his 'last will and testament' and final collection of poems. I have been the keeper of his poetry for years and don't know what to do with it. Some of it's pretty brilliant and it seems a shame it's sitting in my closet.
We're all anticipating the big Assembly of 2007 reunion on Saturday at the TKA, 10 pm. I just had emails from Patrick and Vesa verifying they'll be there. And Deborah should arrive Sunday. Anna Britt is scheduled in from Santorini on Saturday night too. And we are trying to round up the locals we know. So far have several of them invited to the birthday on Sunday.
Ingrid and I are off to Mykonos in the morning (Wed) and will be there for a couple of days.
Back to Athens Friday. More blogs coming up. Watch for them!
NEXT: Tinos and Mykonos: the Divine and the Decadent
Monday, May 28, 2007
A LONG DAY'S JOURNEY
MAY 27
I have so many memories of sitting by dusty roadsides in Greece waiting for buses to come. At Vassiliki I am perched on a cement ledge under and ancient eucalyptus tree b esdie two black-clad yiayias, one wearing traditional widow's clothing - a long dress, shawl and head scarft. Behind me, a green parrot screeches for attention occasionally calling out in Greek as it struts on the ledge of a stone backe-oven. The yiayias chat amiably and the old one pats my arm in a friendly greeting. "Ti Kaneis? How are you?" she asks.
We are on our way north ot Lefkdad town this morning where we'll make our connection for the Athens bus. It's a hot day, ut intermittentaly overcase with dark rain clouds hovering over the moutnains. Waiting by the roadsie is a time to relax, comtemplate and reflect about the journey so far, anticiapting adventures yet to come. I listen to snatches of the yiayias' conversation, catch a familiar prhase or enough words to guess at the meaning. I've been honing my Greek vocabulary, using the language whenever I can, and it's all starting to come back to me again. So far I've managed small conversations, pleasantries and asking directions.
Finally a bus arrives and we board, heading for a scenic tour through Lefkadas mountain villages. At one stop several more people board so I give up my single seat to sit beside Ingrid. A pretty young woman carrying two red roses takes mey seat. Following her s an African man. He orders her to move, tell her to sit somewhere else. She ignores him. Although there is a seat empty by the window he doesn't excuse imself politely to si there, he jujust keept shouting in English and swearing in Greek.
"You sit there! You move!"
The girl doesn't budge or say a word until he become more obnoxious, threatening, his face screw4ed pu in a htaeful scowl while he contineus spewing threats and curses at her. Finally she moves across the aisle and he takes the window seat. His bad vibes, black as he is, surround him. Nobody says a word, not even the bus attendant. I wanted to say something to him about the way he was treating the people who ad kindly atken him into their country, but I kept quiet. I wondred if I'd still have been sitting in that seat, if he would have yelled at me, and i considred how I would hae reacted if he did.
At Lefkada we had almost an hour to wait for ournext connection. I stood outside catching the resfreshing sea breeze from the yacht harb our across the road. The bus came and we boarded. Suddenly, theAFrican appeared again and it seemed as if he ws goiong to board the bus. There was a lot of shouting outside and the bus door shut. The African disappeared and the bus took off.
We enjoyed our trip down the coast, through the lush green countryside, along the sea coast. One of the most impressive sights is the new brige spanning the Corinithian Gulf at Patras. This gorgeous engeineering wonder is one of the many improvements that were made here for the Olympics. Before it was built cars had to be ferried across.
By the time we reached the other side which is the north of the Peloponnese, it was starting to grow dark. I thought we'd soonn be at the Corinth Canal and nearly 'home' but somehow the last part of the journey seemed endless. it took forever before the black h ulk of Acrocorinth mountain came into view and we crossed the canal. (How many times have I cross that canal? Maybe hundreds!)
All the way down the coast the memories kept flooding ack, first sad thoughts ab out the absent ones -- Robbie, Graham and others of our old plaka gang who have departed this earth. Then as we passed familiar landmarks, a flood of old long-forgotten memories came to mind, vignettes of my life here in the '80's -- obscure incidents that now seemed so amusing . I remembered the day a friend and I took the bus up the coast so she could track down a b oyfriend and leave a note on his door (the guy probably lived there with his wife and kids!) then we took the ferry over to Salamina for the day -- a rather unmemorable visit as I recall. The coast of Salamis is famous though, for a naval battle betweent he Greeks and Persians back in the 5th century, when the Persians were defeated and fled.
Then past Daphne -- there's a monastary there where a wine festival is held each year. I remembered going there with Robbie and some other friends and how difficult a time we had trying to get transport back into the city afterwards, late at night and full of all the wine we'd sampled. There's also a big mental institution at Daphne so when you say someone has gone 'to Daphne" you mean they've b een committed. Such was the fate of the famous "Mad Poet" Vassilis, one of the most intriguing guys I've ever met -- brilliant and talented but so intense! I used to get electric shocks just eing near him and secretly had a big crush on him. In fact, the character fo the poet Alkeas in my Sappho play is based on Vassilis. He was a dark gyspy soul. We were becoming good friends when e suddenly disappeared -- carted off to Daphne, so they said, and he's not been seen again. I often think of him and wonder where he is and if he ever recovered. He was obviously bi-polar.
So at last, by 103.0 the bus pulled into the terminal in north Athens. It had been an 8 hour trip. We got a txi to Chrstinas and here were are. Home again!
NEXT: Around town in the rain!
I have so many memories of sitting by dusty roadsides in Greece waiting for buses to come. At Vassiliki I am perched on a cement ledge under and ancient eucalyptus tree b esdie two black-clad yiayias, one wearing traditional widow's clothing - a long dress, shawl and head scarft. Behind me, a green parrot screeches for attention occasionally calling out in Greek as it struts on the ledge of a stone backe-oven. The yiayias chat amiably and the old one pats my arm in a friendly greeting. "Ti Kaneis? How are you?" she asks.
We are on our way north ot Lefkdad town this morning where we'll make our connection for the Athens bus. It's a hot day, ut intermittentaly overcase with dark rain clouds hovering over the moutnains. Waiting by the roadsie is a time to relax, comtemplate and reflect about the journey so far, anticiapting adventures yet to come. I listen to snatches of the yiayias' conversation, catch a familiar prhase or enough words to guess at the meaning. I've been honing my Greek vocabulary, using the language whenever I can, and it's all starting to come back to me again. So far I've managed small conversations, pleasantries and asking directions.
Finally a bus arrives and we board, heading for a scenic tour through Lefkadas mountain villages. At one stop several more people board so I give up my single seat to sit beside Ingrid. A pretty young woman carrying two red roses takes mey seat. Following her s an African man. He orders her to move, tell her to sit somewhere else. She ignores him. Although there is a seat empty by the window he doesn't excuse imself politely to si there, he jujust keept shouting in English and swearing in Greek.
"You sit there! You move!"
The girl doesn't budge or say a word until he become more obnoxious, threatening, his face screw4ed pu in a htaeful scowl while he contineus spewing threats and curses at her. Finally she moves across the aisle and he takes the window seat. His bad vibes, black as he is, surround him. Nobody says a word, not even the bus attendant. I wanted to say something to him about the way he was treating the people who ad kindly atken him into their country, but I kept quiet. I wondred if I'd still have been sitting in that seat, if he would have yelled at me, and i considred how I would hae reacted if he did.
At Lefkada we had almost an hour to wait for ournext connection. I stood outside catching the resfreshing sea breeze from the yacht harb our across the road. The bus came and we boarded. Suddenly, theAFrican appeared again and it seemed as if he ws goiong to board the bus. There was a lot of shouting outside and the bus door shut. The African disappeared and the bus took off.
We enjoyed our trip down the coast, through the lush green countryside, along the sea coast. One of the most impressive sights is the new brige spanning the Corinithian Gulf at Patras. This gorgeous engeineering wonder is one of the many improvements that were made here for the Olympics. Before it was built cars had to be ferried across.
By the time we reached the other side which is the north of the Peloponnese, it was starting to grow dark. I thought we'd soonn be at the Corinth Canal and nearly 'home' but somehow the last part of the journey seemed endless. it took forever before the black h ulk of Acrocorinth mountain came into view and we crossed the canal. (How many times have I cross that canal? Maybe hundreds!)
All the way down the coast the memories kept flooding ack, first sad thoughts ab out the absent ones -- Robbie, Graham and others of our old plaka gang who have departed this earth. Then as we passed familiar landmarks, a flood of old long-forgotten memories came to mind, vignettes of my life here in the '80's -- obscure incidents that now seemed so amusing . I remembered the day a friend and I took the bus up the coast so she could track down a b oyfriend and leave a note on his door (the guy probably lived there with his wife and kids!) then we took the ferry over to Salamina for the day -- a rather unmemorable visit as I recall. The coast of Salamis is famous though, for a naval battle betweent he Greeks and Persians back in the 5th century, when the Persians were defeated and fled.
Then past Daphne -- there's a monastary there where a wine festival is held each year. I remembered going there with Robbie and some other friends and how difficult a time we had trying to get transport back into the city afterwards, late at night and full of all the wine we'd sampled. There's also a big mental institution at Daphne so when you say someone has gone 'to Daphne" you mean they've b een committed. Such was the fate of the famous "Mad Poet" Vassilis, one of the most intriguing guys I've ever met -- brilliant and talented but so intense! I used to get electric shocks just eing near him and secretly had a big crush on him. In fact, the character fo the poet Alkeas in my Sappho play is based on Vassilis. He was a dark gyspy soul. We were becoming good friends when e suddenly disappeared -- carted off to Daphne, so they said, and he's not been seen again. I often think of him and wonder where he is and if he ever recovered. He was obviously bi-polar.
So at last, by 103.0 the bus pulled into the terminal in north Athens. It had been an 8 hour trip. We got a txi to Chrstinas and here were are. Home again!
NEXT: Around town in the rain!
VASSILIKI AND A DAY TRIP TO KEFALONIA
Sappho's Leap, LefkadaMAY 26
Again, we were unable to get a boat to see Sappho's Leap and the beauitful beach we wanted to visit. Instead we decided on a day trip over to Fiskardo on Kefalonia. It was my third visit there -- a pleasant little port, mainly a tourist attraction and yacht harour. Fiskardo is named for a pirate who used to hide out here. It was the only village on Kefalonia not devastted by the 1953 earthuake. The buildings are all pastel colours, Venetian style. There's the remains of a Venetian castle and light houseon the cape which we intended to explore, but the sun was hot and we were not properly shod, so we decided to relax gy the sea and sip ouzo with a marinated octopus appetizer. (The Greeks never serve ouzo without providing a tastey side dish to accompany it.)
At least Ingrid got glimpse of Cape Lefkas and the lighthouse that stands where there used to be a temple to Apollo -- likely the one that Sappho visited before she plunged to her death off the high cliffs.
In Vassiliki, we are staying in a lovely new hotel, only 40 euro a night including breakfast, just a few meters from the wind surfing beach and the seaside tavernas that line the port. I'm quite fond of Vassiliki because of its un pretentiousness and friendly people. It's too bad we don't have time to stay longer and take advantage of the various boat cruises you can take from here. But today's ferry outing to Fiskardo was a pleasant enough replacement. Tomorrow we're off to Athens and if we get early enoug bus connections we ough to arrive there by evenin. It will be nice to be back at Chrstina's houe again, istting int eh shade of the courtyard and relaxing for a few days before we head off on another adventure.
NEXT: The long bus trip to Athens
Again, we were unable to get a boat to see Sappho's Leap and the beauitful beach we wanted to visit. Instead we decided on a day trip over to Fiskardo on Kefalonia. It was my third visit there -- a pleasant little port, mainly a tourist attraction and yacht harour. Fiskardo is named for a pirate who used to hide out here. It was the only village on Kefalonia not devastted by the 1953 earthuake. The buildings are all pastel colours, Venetian style. There's the remains of a Venetian castle and light houseon the cape which we intended to explore, but the sun was hot and we were not properly shod, so we decided to relax gy the sea and sip ouzo with a marinated octopus appetizer. (The Greeks never serve ouzo without providing a tastey side dish to accompany it.)
At least Ingrid got glimpse of Cape Lefkas and the lighthouse that stands where there used to be a temple to Apollo -- likely the one that Sappho visited before she plunged to her death off the high cliffs.
In Vassiliki, we are staying in a lovely new hotel, only 40 euro a night including breakfast, just a few meters from the wind surfing beach and the seaside tavernas that line the port. I'm quite fond of Vassiliki because of its un pretentiousness and friendly people. It's too bad we don't have time to stay longer and take advantage of the various boat cruises you can take from here. But today's ferry outing to Fiskardo was a pleasant enough replacement. Tomorrow we're off to Athens and if we get early enoug bus connections we ough to arrive there by evenin. It will be nice to be back at Chrstina's houe again, istting int eh shade of the courtyard and relaxing for a few days before we head off on another adventure.
NEXT: The long bus trip to Athens
Saturday, May 26, 2007
LEFKADA
Sea cave, LefkadaMAY 25
Lefkada is the fourth largest island in the Ionians. It's joined to the mainland by a causeway over a narrow isthmus. Lefkada has ten sattelite islets which include Skorpios, burial place and former home of the ill-fated Onassis family. It's a forested mountainous islands, also fertile and wel-watered with cotton fields, olive groves, vineyards and farm areas. This is my third trip here and we are heading to Vassiliki on the southern tip. My first visit here I camped near the famous wind-wurfing beach at Vassiliki and took seeral boat tours around to the outlying islands including Skorpios. This time our main aim is to get to Cape Lefkada)known as "Sappho's Leap" where the poet Sappho tragically lept to her death in the 6th C BC near the sanctuary of Apollo which once stood on the Cape.
MAY 26 VASSILIKI AND A DAY TRIP TO KEFALONIA
Again, we were stymied in our plans and weren't able to get a boat to Sappho's Leap or the beach we had planned to spend a day at. Instead we decided on a day trip by ferry over to Fiskardo on Kefalonia. It was my third visit there -- a pleasant little port, mainly a tourist attraction and yacht harbour. It used to be the hide-away haunt of a famous pirate after whom it is named. There is a Venetian castle ruin and lighthouse at the entrance to the harbour and we intended to explore it but the day was hot and we weren't properly shod for tromping up the stony pathway. We opted instead to sit at a quay-side taverna and sip ouzo with yummy marinated octopus appetizer. (The Greeks never serve ouzo without the accompaniment of munchies).
At least Ingrid got a glimpse of Cape Lefkada from the ferry, though a distant one. The sea here is an impossibly bright teal colour, very clear and beautiful though tonight, with a wind blowing up you could see Homer's 'wine dark sea' . And, by the way, we passed by Ithaaka, Odyseeus' island with is very close to Kefalonia. (and, Kefalonia is the island made famous by Louis de Berniere's "Captain Corelli's Mandolin". It's an Island I like very much and will certain return there again and again.)
We are back in Vassiliki now for our last evening here. We've been staying in a brand new hotel for only 40 Euro a night including breakfast. Pensions are cheaper but we opted to grab the first lodgings we came upon and, just like in Parga, lucked out. Prices here are so much cheaper than Venice, including the food and wine. A bottle of good red for only 3.50 euro. So we've been enjoying lots of it and ouzo too.
Tomorrow we catch the bus up to Lefkada town and hopefully make the connections to the Athens bus, probably arriving in Athens in the early evening. We're both quite looking forward to it. We'll spend a few days there, do our laundry and we're off to Mykonos for a few days.
NEXT: Athens news.
Lefkada is the fourth largest island in the Ionians. It's joined to the mainland by a causeway over a narrow isthmus. Lefkada has ten sattelite islets which include Skorpios, burial place and former home of the ill-fated Onassis family. It's a forested mountainous islands, also fertile and wel-watered with cotton fields, olive groves, vineyards and farm areas. This is my third trip here and we are heading to Vassiliki on the southern tip. My first visit here I camped near the famous wind-wurfing beach at Vassiliki and took seeral boat tours around to the outlying islands including Skorpios. This time our main aim is to get to Cape Lefkada)known as "Sappho's Leap" where the poet Sappho tragically lept to her death in the 6th C BC near the sanctuary of Apollo which once stood on the Cape.
MAY 26 VASSILIKI AND A DAY TRIP TO KEFALONIA
Again, we were stymied in our plans and weren't able to get a boat to Sappho's Leap or the beach we had planned to spend a day at. Instead we decided on a day trip by ferry over to Fiskardo on Kefalonia. It was my third visit there -- a pleasant little port, mainly a tourist attraction and yacht harbour. It used to be the hide-away haunt of a famous pirate after whom it is named. There is a Venetian castle ruin and lighthouse at the entrance to the harbour and we intended to explore it but the day was hot and we weren't properly shod for tromping up the stony pathway. We opted instead to sit at a quay-side taverna and sip ouzo with yummy marinated octopus appetizer. (The Greeks never serve ouzo without the accompaniment of munchies).
At least Ingrid got a glimpse of Cape Lefkada from the ferry, though a distant one. The sea here is an impossibly bright teal colour, very clear and beautiful though tonight, with a wind blowing up you could see Homer's 'wine dark sea' . And, by the way, we passed by Ithaaka, Odyseeus' island with is very close to Kefalonia. (and, Kefalonia is the island made famous by Louis de Berniere's "Captain Corelli's Mandolin". It's an Island I like very much and will certain return there again and again.)
We are back in Vassiliki now for our last evening here. We've been staying in a brand new hotel for only 40 Euro a night including breakfast. Pensions are cheaper but we opted to grab the first lodgings we came upon and, just like in Parga, lucked out. Prices here are so much cheaper than Venice, including the food and wine. A bottle of good red for only 3.50 euro. So we've been enjoying lots of it and ouzo too.
Tomorrow we catch the bus up to Lefkada town and hopefully make the connections to the Athens bus, probably arriving in Athens in the early evening. We're both quite looking forward to it. We'll spend a few days there, do our laundry and we're off to Mykonos for a few days.
NEXT: Athens news.
Friday, May 25, 2007
RETURN TO PARGA
MAY 24
This is my third visit to this pretty little town. Parga spills down the mountainside to a small bay flanked by coves and islets. On my previous trips here I visited the Nekromanteion (Oracle of the Dead) and made a couple of other side tours such as to Dodona (Olympias' home) Greece's oldest oracle. This time I wanted to return to Zalongo, site of another Greek tragedy. Unfortunately there were no tours available and it wasn't possible to reach by local transit.
Zalongo is the spot where the women and children of the mountain villages of Souli jumped to their death rather than be caputred by the Turks during the prelude to the Greek War of Independence. Their brave act of sacrifice is marked by a moment erected on the cliff-side by the Greek army.
Instead, Ingrid and I explored the Venetian castle that dominates the harbour of Parga, a remnant of Venice's 400 years of dominance over Greece in the the 1400's. I've been to the "Kastro" before but this time was delighted to find there had been extensive restorations made including the rebuilding of the army barracks which is used as a reception centre and cafe.
We enjoyed a light lunch and frappe there and took lots of photos as the views from the castle ramparts are stunning.
We've lucked out in Greece as far as expenses are concerned (after expensive Venezia). We stayed in the oldest hotel in Parga, Hotel Acropol, built in the 1800's and refurbished in 2001.
50 Euro a night (for two). And this morning before leaving stepped into the lovely old Church of the Ten Apostles next door, the oldest church in Parga. A fitting way to end our visit there.
Then it was off on the 10.45 bus to Lefkada Island.
NEXT: LEFKADA, Vassiliki -- the 3rd best wind surf centre in the world!
This is my third visit to this pretty little town. Parga spills down the mountainside to a small bay flanked by coves and islets. On my previous trips here I visited the Nekromanteion (Oracle of the Dead) and made a couple of other side tours such as to Dodona (Olympias' home) Greece's oldest oracle. This time I wanted to return to Zalongo, site of another Greek tragedy. Unfortunately there were no tours available and it wasn't possible to reach by local transit.
Zalongo is the spot where the women and children of the mountain villages of Souli jumped to their death rather than be caputred by the Turks during the prelude to the Greek War of Independence. Their brave act of sacrifice is marked by a moment erected on the cliff-side by the Greek army.
Instead, Ingrid and I explored the Venetian castle that dominates the harbour of Parga, a remnant of Venice's 400 years of dominance over Greece in the the 1400's. I've been to the "Kastro" before but this time was delighted to find there had been extensive restorations made including the rebuilding of the army barracks which is used as a reception centre and cafe.
We enjoyed a light lunch and frappe there and took lots of photos as the views from the castle ramparts are stunning.
We've lucked out in Greece as far as expenses are concerned (after expensive Venezia). We stayed in the oldest hotel in Parga, Hotel Acropol, built in the 1800's and refurbished in 2001.
50 Euro a night (for two). And this morning before leaving stepped into the lovely old Church of the Ten Apostles next door, the oldest church in Parga. A fitting way to end our visit there.
Then it was off on the 10.45 bus to Lefkada Island.
NEXT: LEFKADA, Vassiliki -- the 3rd best wind surf centre in the world!
CRUISING ABOARD THE "PASIPHAE PALACE"
MAY 22 On board the MV Pasiphae Palace, Minoan lines, from Venezia to Igoumenitsa Greece.
A hot steamy day and we battled through the crowds at San Marco, stopping by to lok at the Florian bar, a very Venetian, elegant cafe bar where Byron, Wagner and other intellecutals used to hang out. Much more impressive than Harry's and we wished we'd had time to stop there for a coffe. Wemanaged to get the vaparetto to our stop near the ferry terminal (that crazy long walk we made the other day wasn't anywhere near where we needed to be!) The tourist info woman said it was a 'ten minute walk", it turned out that wasonly to the turn off. We kept slogging along after that until eventually the shuttle bus came along and stopped for us. We got checked in and boarded immediately. It wasn't the Titanic but it was a pretty impressive craft for a 'ferry'. A huge boat, posh compared to the BC Ferries. There was even a disco and casino on board. We had booked recliner seats, but decided to ask for a cabin which we were lucky to get.
I felt sat at leaving Venezia, definitely would return; our only complaints were the crowds of tourists (especially those who gather under your hotel window and party loudly until 4 a.m.!) But we'd found the best way to avoid the mobs was to get out before 8 a.m. and after 8 p.m. By far the best way to see the city when it is quiet and serene.
May 23. We spent a comfortable night in our own cabin on the ship. It was a pleasant journey and we arrived in Igoumentista by noon. The trip along the Dalmatian Coast was calm and pretty. I went up to the very top deck to take pictures of Italy's 'heel' and the coast of Albania.
We arrived in Igoumenitsa at noon. I was there four years ago seeing Susan off on the ferry to Anconda, Italy. This time there was an impressive new ferry terminal and bus depot (part of the improvements Greece made for the Olympics). We only had an hour to wait for our bus to Parg. It turned out to be real "Cook's Tour" bust trip through the pretty country villages, so I had a good look at more of Olymmpias's country (Alexander's mother) Everything here is green and fresh. It even showered a little on the way through the mountains to the coast.
EPIROS: This part of Greece is known as "Epiros" and it has quite a long history of civil strife and tragedies. It is located in the NW corner of the mainland, bordering Alania and the Ionian Sea. The high Pindos mountains spearate it from Macedonia and Thessaly in the east. In early times this area was inhabited by tribes, one of them, the Molossi dominated the whole region and became so powerful that it's leader was made King of Epiros. If you have been keeping up with the last chapters of my novel "Shadow of the Lion", this is the home of Olympias, who was the neice of this king who became the wife of Philip II and mother of Alexander the Great.
Through the ages there have been many strifes in this wild mountainous area. It fell to the Turks in 1431 and later became part of Greece in 1913 when the Greek army seized it during the Balkan Wars. During WWII, a strong resistance army too to the mountains. During the civil war 1944-45, Epiros became a scene of heavy fighting. When the resistance split into factions many children from Epiros were forced to evacuate to the Eastern bloc countries by the Communists. If you have read Nicholas Gage's book "Eleni" it tells how he and his siblings were escorted out of Epiros so they could escape to be with their father in the States. Their mother, Eleni stayed behind and was tortured and killed by the communists.
We are heading for Parga, a beautiful port resort on the coast south of Igoumenitsa.
NEXT: Return to Parga
A hot steamy day and we battled through the crowds at San Marco, stopping by to lok at the Florian bar, a very Venetian, elegant cafe bar where Byron, Wagner and other intellecutals used to hang out. Much more impressive than Harry's and we wished we'd had time to stop there for a coffe. Wemanaged to get the vaparetto to our stop near the ferry terminal (that crazy long walk we made the other day wasn't anywhere near where we needed to be!) The tourist info woman said it was a 'ten minute walk", it turned out that wasonly to the turn off. We kept slogging along after that until eventually the shuttle bus came along and stopped for us. We got checked in and boarded immediately. It wasn't the Titanic but it was a pretty impressive craft for a 'ferry'. A huge boat, posh compared to the BC Ferries. There was even a disco and casino on board. We had booked recliner seats, but decided to ask for a cabin which we were lucky to get.
I felt sat at leaving Venezia, definitely would return; our only complaints were the crowds of tourists (especially those who gather under your hotel window and party loudly until 4 a.m.!) But we'd found the best way to avoid the mobs was to get out before 8 a.m. and after 8 p.m. By far the best way to see the city when it is quiet and serene.
May 23. We spent a comfortable night in our own cabin on the ship. It was a pleasant journey and we arrived in Igoumentista by noon. The trip along the Dalmatian Coast was calm and pretty. I went up to the very top deck to take pictures of Italy's 'heel' and the coast of Albania.
We arrived in Igoumenitsa at noon. I was there four years ago seeing Susan off on the ferry to Anconda, Italy. This time there was an impressive new ferry terminal and bus depot (part of the improvements Greece made for the Olympics). We only had an hour to wait for our bus to Parg. It turned out to be real "Cook's Tour" bust trip through the pretty country villages, so I had a good look at more of Olymmpias's country (Alexander's mother) Everything here is green and fresh. It even showered a little on the way through the mountains to the coast.
EPIROS: This part of Greece is known as "Epiros" and it has quite a long history of civil strife and tragedies. It is located in the NW corner of the mainland, bordering Alania and the Ionian Sea. The high Pindos mountains spearate it from Macedonia and Thessaly in the east. In early times this area was inhabited by tribes, one of them, the Molossi dominated the whole region and became so powerful that it's leader was made King of Epiros. If you have been keeping up with the last chapters of my novel "Shadow of the Lion", this is the home of Olympias, who was the neice of this king who became the wife of Philip II and mother of Alexander the Great.
Through the ages there have been many strifes in this wild mountainous area. It fell to the Turks in 1431 and later became part of Greece in 1913 when the Greek army seized it during the Balkan Wars. During WWII, a strong resistance army too to the mountains. During the civil war 1944-45, Epiros became a scene of heavy fighting. When the resistance split into factions many children from Epiros were forced to evacuate to the Eastern bloc countries by the Communists. If you have read Nicholas Gage's book "Eleni" it tells how he and his siblings were escorted out of Epiros so they could escape to be with their father in the States. Their mother, Eleni stayed behind and was tortured and killed by the communists.
We are heading for Parga, a beautiful port resort on the coast south of Igoumenitsa.
NEXT: Return to Parga
MUSEO STORICO NAVALE
May 21. A GLIMPSE OF VENICE'S NAVAL HISTORY
We visited the naval museum at the Arsenale where there are models of all thetypes of ships, gondolas and fishing craft used in Venice over the centuries. As I've always een interested in naval history, and since I've been covering Venetian ports in Greece where the Venetian navy once ruled the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, I found the museum fascainating.
The displays included elaborate centuries old models of Venetian ships and gode's ceremonial barges all ornatedly gilded. The Venetian ship builders were renown for their fabulous deisigns.
There were a number of gondolas, the oldest types to newer ones. Some very ornate. One of the dongolas on display was once owned by Peggy Gugenheim who has a gallery in Venice.
The Arsenal is the old shipyards where the republic's navy was docked. The entrance is flanked by marble lions stolen from Greece. The shipyards once employed some 16,000 shipbuiders who could assemble an entire ship in only a few hours.
Afterwards, we caught a vaporetto back to San Marco for a visit to the fabled Harry's Bar, noted for it's peach/sparkling wine Bellini cocktail touted as 'the best Bellini in the world' At 20 euros it isn't We had a much tastiers one down on the Riva later for 6.50!) All sorts of celes and writer such as Ernest Hemingway used to drink at Harry's Bar. According to reports though, Papa siad it was 'a sissy bar' fit only for the likes of Scott Fitzgerald. We found it pretentious -- a small, non-descript ar highly overpriced. But we had to have a Bellini there, just because...
It seemed fitting to finish our last day in Venice, after touring the naval musem. on a gondalo trip. It's hard to describe the serene feeling you get as you cruise soundlessly along the canals. At each corner the gondoliers shout "ohye!" (no horns to honk). The sleek black gondola slides through the water gracefully without a sound. Imagine Venezia as it used tobe! It's an experience worth every cent of the 100 Euro (an hours trip) We cruised by an old doge's residential palace, the site of Marco Polo's house, the home of the fabled Casanova, and later slid under the Bridge of Sighs, past the grated windows of the prison where Casanova once languished.
We topped off the evening at a reasonably priced cafe on the Riva, sipped 'the best' Bellini, a bottle fo red wine, ravioli, lemon gelato dessert and amaretto for 65 Euro. A pefect ending to a perfect Venezian holiday.
NEXT: Off to Greece!
We to
We visited the naval museum at the Arsenale where there are models of all thetypes of ships, gondolas and fishing craft used in Venice over the centuries. As I've always een interested in naval history, and since I've been covering Venetian ports in Greece where the Venetian navy once ruled the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, I found the museum fascainating.
The displays included elaborate centuries old models of Venetian ships and gode's ceremonial barges all ornatedly gilded. The Venetian ship builders were renown for their fabulous deisigns.
There were a number of gondolas, the oldest types to newer ones. Some very ornate. One of the dongolas on display was once owned by Peggy Gugenheim who has a gallery in Venice.
The Arsenal is the old shipyards where the republic's navy was docked. The entrance is flanked by marble lions stolen from Greece. The shipyards once employed some 16,000 shipbuiders who could assemble an entire ship in only a few hours.
Afterwards, we caught a vaporetto back to San Marco for a visit to the fabled Harry's Bar, noted for it's peach/sparkling wine Bellini cocktail touted as 'the best Bellini in the world' At 20 euros it isn't We had a much tastiers one down on the Riva later for 6.50!) All sorts of celes and writer such as Ernest Hemingway used to drink at Harry's Bar. According to reports though, Papa siad it was 'a sissy bar' fit only for the likes of Scott Fitzgerald. We found it pretentious -- a small, non-descript ar highly overpriced. But we had to have a Bellini there, just because...
It seemed fitting to finish our last day in Venice, after touring the naval musem. on a gondalo trip. It's hard to describe the serene feeling you get as you cruise soundlessly along the canals. At each corner the gondoliers shout "ohye!" (no horns to honk). The sleek black gondola slides through the water gracefully without a sound. Imagine Venezia as it used tobe! It's an experience worth every cent of the 100 Euro (an hours trip) We cruised by an old doge's residential palace, the site of Marco Polo's house, the home of the fabled Casanova, and later slid under the Bridge of Sighs, past the grated windows of the prison where Casanova once languished.
We topped off the evening at a reasonably priced cafe on the Riva, sipped 'the best' Bellini, a bottle fo red wine, ravioli, lemon gelato dessert and amaretto for 65 Euro. A pefect ending to a perfect Venezian holiday.
NEXT: Off to Greece!
We to
EXPLORING THE GHETTO
May 20, Venezia
I'v never heard so many church bells ringing in unison before, loud and incessant throughout the day reminding the parishoners of mass, I suppose. It's a glorious sound when you first hear it but, just as I've heard other travelers complain of the five daily calls to prayer (ampliphined) in Muslim countries like Turkey and MOrooc, for instance, it can become somewhat overbearing. Especially when there's a church on your doorstep or, in the case ouf our Hotel Orion, right outside our window!
Needless to say we were early to rise again,and after our pre-reakfast stroll and a substantial repast we headed off in hopes of dinging the ghetto. Our early morning adventure took us over the Rialto Bridge. One amazing phenomena here is the way the light reflects and shimmers off the buildings from the canals. Quite a gorgeous sight but impossible to capture in a photo. The Rialto has been a commercial centre since the 9ths century when the city's first fish market was established here. Ships from around the wrld docked here and it was here that the Grand Caal was first spanned. The Ponte dei Rialto is the most used bridge across the canal. It has three sections, with shops b uilt right on the bridge.
We intended to get a vaporetto to the ghetto in Cannaregio but by mistake got one going the wrong direction and ended up a long ways off at the Lido. Oh well, a beauitful day for a cruise. We hung around the square at the Lido awhile watching the ordes of weekend holidayers heading for the beaches; draknk campari and relaxed, then caught a boat back to Venice, this time in the right direction.
The germ 'geto' (ghetto) originated in Venice, referring to the foundries where metals for canons were cast. "Ghetto" comes from the cinders piled where founderies were set up in Canneragio. The Venetian word 'to smell' - gettare, hence the name 'geto veccio' (old foundry) for the first site and 'geto nuevo' for the second. With the arrival of the Jews in the 14-15th C. the meaning and pronounciation changed as the 'ghetto' became the place to assign them. They were actually locked in at night, not allowed freedom to venture around the city. Because they couldn't expand outside their area, they had to build up -- so the buildings in the ghetto are much taller than in other parts of the city and it is still isolated from the rest of Venezia. Until Napoleon conquored Venice in 1797, Jews were only allowed to live in that part of the city. Remember Shakeare's "Merchant of Venice"? It took place mainly in the ghetto of Venice.
In the main piazza is a memorial wall to the many Jews who wre rounded up by the Germans during the war and carted off to death camps. There is one old synagogue here and all the shops sell Jewish items. We stopped at a cafe for a lunch of goulash and salad then attempted t find our way out of there by foot, an exhausting adventure. On the way we intended to locate an internet cafe (no luck) so gave up and stggered back to our hotel for a much deserved nap.
This evening we decided to take it easy. Believe it or not, DID find a web cafe, but the computer wouldn't let me sign into my blog, then went back over to San Marco Piazza to sit on the stone benches contemplating the sights as we listened to some jazz. Later went for gelato and amaretto for our dessert treat. Then home for a well deserved sleep.
NEXT: Some of Venice's naval history
I'v never heard so many church bells ringing in unison before, loud and incessant throughout the day reminding the parishoners of mass, I suppose. It's a glorious sound when you first hear it but, just as I've heard other travelers complain of the five daily calls to prayer (ampliphined) in Muslim countries like Turkey and MOrooc, for instance, it can become somewhat overbearing. Especially when there's a church on your doorstep or, in the case ouf our Hotel Orion, right outside our window!
Needless to say we were early to rise again,and after our pre-reakfast stroll and a substantial repast we headed off in hopes of dinging the ghetto. Our early morning adventure took us over the Rialto Bridge. One amazing phenomena here is the way the light reflects and shimmers off the buildings from the canals. Quite a gorgeous sight but impossible to capture in a photo. The Rialto has been a commercial centre since the 9ths century when the city's first fish market was established here. Ships from around the wrld docked here and it was here that the Grand Caal was first spanned. The Ponte dei Rialto is the most used bridge across the canal. It has three sections, with shops b uilt right on the bridge.
We intended to get a vaporetto to the ghetto in Cannaregio but by mistake got one going the wrong direction and ended up a long ways off at the Lido. Oh well, a beauitful day for a cruise. We hung around the square at the Lido awhile watching the ordes of weekend holidayers heading for the beaches; draknk campari and relaxed, then caught a boat back to Venice, this time in the right direction.
The germ 'geto' (ghetto) originated in Venice, referring to the foundries where metals for canons were cast. "Ghetto" comes from the cinders piled where founderies were set up in Canneragio. The Venetian word 'to smell' - gettare, hence the name 'geto veccio' (old foundry) for the first site and 'geto nuevo' for the second. With the arrival of the Jews in the 14-15th C. the meaning and pronounciation changed as the 'ghetto' became the place to assign them. They were actually locked in at night, not allowed freedom to venture around the city. Because they couldn't expand outside their area, they had to build up -- so the buildings in the ghetto are much taller than in other parts of the city and it is still isolated from the rest of Venezia. Until Napoleon conquored Venice in 1797, Jews were only allowed to live in that part of the city. Remember Shakeare's "Merchant of Venice"? It took place mainly in the ghetto of Venice.
In the main piazza is a memorial wall to the many Jews who wre rounded up by the Germans during the war and carted off to death camps. There is one old synagogue here and all the shops sell Jewish items. We stopped at a cafe for a lunch of goulash and salad then attempted t find our way out of there by foot, an exhausting adventure. On the way we intended to locate an internet cafe (no luck) so gave up and stggered back to our hotel for a much deserved nap.
This evening we decided to take it easy. Believe it or not, DID find a web cafe, but the computer wouldn't let me sign into my blog, then went back over to San Marco Piazza to sit on the stone benches contemplating the sights as we listened to some jazz. Later went for gelato and amaretto for our dessert treat. Then home for a well deserved sleep.
NEXT: Some of Venice's naval history
Sunday, May 20, 2007
CRUISING THE ISLANDS
SATURDAY, May 19
19 Euro got us a ticket for a 3 island tour. Venice is composed of 118 small islands ina lagoon connected to the mainland cityof Mistre by a thin causeway. There are shipping lanes marked off withpilings betwen the islands as in places the lagoon is shallow and boats will run aground (one of the reasons Venice ws saved from raiding navys in the past)
First stop was Murano, famous for its glass since 1292. The glass blowers came here from Venice because their kilns started fires. (note there are interesting chimney pots on all the buildings here built so sparks wouldnt fly and start fires)
Burano is a traditional fishing village with beauitufl coloured houses. The women of Burano are noted for their skillin lace'making.
Torcello was once home to 20,000 people but due to plagues, malaria and other epidemics, whichkilled off most of the population, and silted in canals, now only about 500 people live there. Ità s most famous for the very old church, onf of the first built with the skills of Greek stone masons who did the beauitufl mosai tiles of the interior. We wanted to looks around thee§ Basilica of Santa Maria Assencta and spend some time on the islands so we opted to catch a vaporetto back to Venice. The island is pastoral and green, a myriad of singing birds trill from the trees. There are signs of renewal and restoration. We splurged on a gourmet lunch at the beautiful new Ristorante Villa 600. A most charming, handomse waiter recommended the mmenu for us ' campari starters, sea food antipasto, ricotta with scampi, a bottle of excellent red wine and creme brule that was unbelievable. We paid 50 euro a piece for the meal but it was worth every delicious mouthful. Then we took our time browsing the church grounds before catching a boat back to Venezia via the Lido, Veniceà s pleasure island where there is a bathing beach, casino, horseback riding stables and a famous gold club.
That evening, we wandered the labyringh of alleywash just folowing our instincs across the canal bridges. We set out for Castelli, the Greek community at San Georgio Dei Greci. Once about 4000 Greeks lived in Venice (in the 15thC) now little more than 100 remain. Most of them were merchants, book publishers, artists, scribes and literary scholars.)
We walked whevered our feet took us, through the maze of fairly well'lit narrows lanes. Eventurally came to The Arsenal with its two great lions brought from Greece in 1687. Here is where Veniceàs naval ships were built and maintained. We plan to return to tour the naval museum on Monday.
It wasnt far from there back to San Marco piazza and our hotel. We had actually walked a circular route. Its so much fun to explore. You just never know where you will end up. But thats half the adventure here in this amazing city.
Sunday, (today) at last I found this web cafe where I can post my blogs. Today we had another interesting walk about and vaporetto trip which I will post in my next blog THE GHETTO and an unexpected cruise back to The Lido.
19 Euro got us a ticket for a 3 island tour. Venice is composed of 118 small islands ina lagoon connected to the mainland cityof Mistre by a thin causeway. There are shipping lanes marked off withpilings betwen the islands as in places the lagoon is shallow and boats will run aground (one of the reasons Venice ws saved from raiding navys in the past)
First stop was Murano, famous for its glass since 1292. The glass blowers came here from Venice because their kilns started fires. (note there are interesting chimney pots on all the buildings here built so sparks wouldnt fly and start fires)
Burano is a traditional fishing village with beauitufl coloured houses. The women of Burano are noted for their skillin lace'making.
Torcello was once home to 20,000 people but due to plagues, malaria and other epidemics, whichkilled off most of the population, and silted in canals, now only about 500 people live there. Ità s most famous for the very old church, onf of the first built with the skills of Greek stone masons who did the beauitufl mosai tiles of the interior. We wanted to looks around thee§ Basilica of Santa Maria Assencta and spend some time on the islands so we opted to catch a vaporetto back to Venice. The island is pastoral and green, a myriad of singing birds trill from the trees. There are signs of renewal and restoration. We splurged on a gourmet lunch at the beautiful new Ristorante Villa 600. A most charming, handomse waiter recommended the mmenu for us ' campari starters, sea food antipasto, ricotta with scampi, a bottle of excellent red wine and creme brule that was unbelievable. We paid 50 euro a piece for the meal but it was worth every delicious mouthful. Then we took our time browsing the church grounds before catching a boat back to Venezia via the Lido, Veniceà s pleasure island where there is a bathing beach, casino, horseback riding stables and a famous gold club.
That evening, we wandered the labyringh of alleywash just folowing our instincs across the canal bridges. We set out for Castelli, the Greek community at San Georgio Dei Greci. Once about 4000 Greeks lived in Venice (in the 15thC) now little more than 100 remain. Most of them were merchants, book publishers, artists, scribes and literary scholars.)
We walked whevered our feet took us, through the maze of fairly well'lit narrows lanes. Eventurally came to The Arsenal with its two great lions brought from Greece in 1687. Here is where Veniceàs naval ships were built and maintained. We plan to return to tour the naval museum on Monday.
It wasnt far from there back to San Marco piazza and our hotel. We had actually walked a circular route. Its so much fun to explore. You just never know where you will end up. But thats half the adventure here in this amazing city.
Sunday, (today) at last I found this web cafe where I can post my blogs. Today we had another interesting walk about and vaporetto trip which I will post in my next blog THE GHETTO and an unexpected cruise back to The Lido.
SERENISSIMA
SERENISSIMA, the Most Serene Republic of Venice, or so she s once known...
We are here, in this most amazing floating city, and I,ll take you on an adventure through the sestieres (neighbourhoods) of Venezia.
May 18, our first morning here. When we stepped outside this morning at 6 a.m. for a pre'breakfast stroll, it was thelight in the piazza )or campo as most small piazzas are called here) that first struck me '' the way it filters through the narrow passagewasy (some only an arms width= At the end of a shadowy alley a bright shaft of daylight appears and you step out of the shadows into the sunlight.
We were awake by 3 a.m. after our excellent flights, and after getting settled in our small, tidy hotle Orion, we were too excited to do anything but start exploring immediately. I got tears in my eyes thefirst glimpse of Venice, can hardly believe I am actually here. Venice is very small, from the air you can see it is merely a cluster of islands in a lagoon, intersepted by canals. The streets are a narrow maze that arenà t too difficult to navigate but easy to get lost in. Getting lost in Venice is half the fun!
Venice became a popular tourist destination back during the 4thCrusade and you still get the feeling youà re a knight jousting for position in the swarming crowds. So weve discovered the best time to see the city is before 8 a.m. and after 8 p.m.
Our first morning here we were up a 6 and there was nary a tourist in San Marco Piazza, the main square of the city. We wandered about enjoying the freedom to stand on the Bridge of Sighs alone, and walk along the Riva without being jostled or trampled by themobs. Later we set off walking to find the ferry depot (unsuccessfully) so we could verify our tickets to Greece next week. Ended up after that fruitless search taking the vaporetto back to the Acadamia. The vaporetta are the water buses that ply Veniceàs canals along with the gondolas and other crafts such as power boats and water taxis. We bought a tree day pass that allows us to hop on and off at will.
We ended up touring the Acadmia Gallery, awe struck by the paintings by Georgioni, Carpaccio, Bellini, Veronese, Titian and we were especially thrilled by the Tintorettos. Then we went back to San Marco which had been transferred into a tourist bazaar with souvenier kiosks and artists and kazillions of people jamming the Riva. We retreated too our hotle for a long snooze, then wen tout for an evening stroll, intending to catch the vaporetto to the ghetto but opted instead to sit at a water'side cafe and have a good dinner of lasagne and salad with a bottle of excellent red wine, all reasonabl priced for this rather epxensive city.
Tomorrow we are off on a three island boat cruise, early a.mn. and will try again for the ghetto after we return. On a rating from 1 to 10 for Venice how would I rate it_ Definitely a 10. Itàs truly a wonder, amazing, and in spite of the reputation that its sinkinginto the sea, it seems vry much afloat!
NEXT An island cruise
We are here, in this most amazing floating city, and I,ll take you on an adventure through the sestieres (neighbourhoods) of Venezia.
May 18, our first morning here. When we stepped outside this morning at 6 a.m. for a pre'breakfast stroll, it was thelight in the piazza )or campo as most small piazzas are called here) that first struck me '' the way it filters through the narrow passagewasy (some only an arms width= At the end of a shadowy alley a bright shaft of daylight appears and you step out of the shadows into the sunlight.
We were awake by 3 a.m. after our excellent flights, and after getting settled in our small, tidy hotle Orion, we were too excited to do anything but start exploring immediately. I got tears in my eyes thefirst glimpse of Venice, can hardly believe I am actually here. Venice is very small, from the air you can see it is merely a cluster of islands in a lagoon, intersepted by canals. The streets are a narrow maze that arenà t too difficult to navigate but easy to get lost in. Getting lost in Venice is half the fun!
Venice became a popular tourist destination back during the 4thCrusade and you still get the feeling youà re a knight jousting for position in the swarming crowds. So weve discovered the best time to see the city is before 8 a.m. and after 8 p.m.
Our first morning here we were up a 6 and there was nary a tourist in San Marco Piazza, the main square of the city. We wandered about enjoying the freedom to stand on the Bridge of Sighs alone, and walk along the Riva without being jostled or trampled by themobs. Later we set off walking to find the ferry depot (unsuccessfully) so we could verify our tickets to Greece next week. Ended up after that fruitless search taking the vaporetto back to the Acadamia. The vaporetta are the water buses that ply Veniceàs canals along with the gondolas and other crafts such as power boats and water taxis. We bought a tree day pass that allows us to hop on and off at will.
We ended up touring the Acadmia Gallery, awe struck by the paintings by Georgioni, Carpaccio, Bellini, Veronese, Titian and we were especially thrilled by the Tintorettos. Then we went back to San Marco which had been transferred into a tourist bazaar with souvenier kiosks and artists and kazillions of people jamming the Riva. We retreated too our hotle for a long snooze, then wen tout for an evening stroll, intending to catch the vaporetto to the ghetto but opted instead to sit at a water'side cafe and have a good dinner of lasagne and salad with a bottle of excellent red wine, all reasonabl priced for this rather epxensive city.
Tomorrow we are off on a three island boat cruise, early a.mn. and will try again for the ghetto after we return. On a rating from 1 to 10 for Venice how would I rate it_ Definitely a 10. Itàs truly a wonder, amazing, and in spite of the reputation that its sinkinginto the sea, it seems vry much afloat!
NEXT An island cruise
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
ON THE EVE OF MY DEPARTURE
I'm leavin' on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again...
Well, actually I do. I'll be back June 26.
But here it is at last, the eve of my departure. This time tomorrow (May 16) we'll be in the air winging our way to Venice. I'm about as excited as a kid waiting for Santa Claus! Venice has always been a dream destination of mine and who would have thought I'd actually get there?
Everything has come together perfectly so far, and I'm sure that once we land and eventually make our way to Athens, things will be perfect there too. Today I had a surprise letter from an old Athens friends, one of the crowd of ex-pats I knew from the '80's. She's an elderly Jewish lady originally from NYC, now residing in Florida and like me, she makes regular trips back to the scene of our many adventures in Greece. Lillian wrote me on May 8 and said she was leaving then for Athens. She doesn't know I'm coming so I emailed her hotel and will try to leave a message for her in hopes she'll join the Assembly of 2007 when we meet the weekend of June 2/3 (my birthday party on the Pnyx). I'm sure she'll be as surprised to hear of my arrival as I was to hear that she is over there now! There are so many of the old crowd who have left Greece or passed on to the Elysian Fields. So this gathering of the Assembly is an important occasion.
Ingrid and I have our plans made for Venice. She'll be my tour guide there as she was there last year. But we're going to take in a few organized tours as well. Then on May 22 we board the ferry for Greece. We expect to take our time, see some sights along the coast before arriving in Athens around May 27 by bus. Then we're going for a little jaunt over to Mykonos so Ingrid can see a Cycladic Island. (I'm her tour guide in Greece.)
On June 2, at 10 pm, the friends will gather at the To Kati Allo taverna on Xatsichristou St. in Athens for our reunion. There should be Anne Britt from Norway, Vesa and his wife and son from Finland, Patrick from Germany, Ingrid, me, and the Athens friends (including Lillian, I hope!) The next day June 3, in time for my birthday, another Vancouver friend arrives, Deb.
The birthday party will be held at sunset on the flat rocks behind the Pnyx which I think is actually the Hill of the Nymphs. We've had lots of parties there in the past and it's an excellent place with a view out over the rooftops toward Pireaus and the sea to the west, and behind it, a glimpse of the Acropolis through the trees. How appropriate for me to be there once again with all my friends.
One of our quests while in Athens will be to scout out a new taverna hangout for our little group of scholars/writers/artists. The TKA is a long-time gathering place, of course, but AB and I decided we wanted to find somewhere special, just to mark the occasion of our return. That will be part of the fun as there are many interesting places around that area. Of course this will mean consuming the token carafes of krasi or retsina, maybe a little ouzaki or metaxa brandy, at each place just to make sure we pick up the right vibes and inspiration.
After that, the week will be full of adventures and various day-trips. Then we're heading for the islands, Naxos and Amorgos. And by June 15 back to Athens to take in a very special concert at the Herodian with my favorite singer Haris Alexiou. The last two weeks I plan to relax and enjoy visiting with my Athens friends Christina and Dinaz and strolling the old haunts which are so full of memories for me. Hopefully I'll glean a lot of inspiration for writing -- not only for my novel and the Sappho play, but remembrances for my travel memoir of Greece.
I'm lucky. This is going to be another fabulous trip! And I know I have the Muse with me.
So, keep an eye on this space and I'll share my adventures with you.
Well, actually I do. I'll be back June 26.
But here it is at last, the eve of my departure. This time tomorrow (May 16) we'll be in the air winging our way to Venice. I'm about as excited as a kid waiting for Santa Claus! Venice has always been a dream destination of mine and who would have thought I'd actually get there?
Everything has come together perfectly so far, and I'm sure that once we land and eventually make our way to Athens, things will be perfect there too. Today I had a surprise letter from an old Athens friends, one of the crowd of ex-pats I knew from the '80's. She's an elderly Jewish lady originally from NYC, now residing in Florida and like me, she makes regular trips back to the scene of our many adventures in Greece. Lillian wrote me on May 8 and said she was leaving then for Athens. She doesn't know I'm coming so I emailed her hotel and will try to leave a message for her in hopes she'll join the Assembly of 2007 when we meet the weekend of June 2/3 (my birthday party on the Pnyx). I'm sure she'll be as surprised to hear of my arrival as I was to hear that she is over there now! There are so many of the old crowd who have left Greece or passed on to the Elysian Fields. So this gathering of the Assembly is an important occasion.
Ingrid and I have our plans made for Venice. She'll be my tour guide there as she was there last year. But we're going to take in a few organized tours as well. Then on May 22 we board the ferry for Greece. We expect to take our time, see some sights along the coast before arriving in Athens around May 27 by bus. Then we're going for a little jaunt over to Mykonos so Ingrid can see a Cycladic Island. (I'm her tour guide in Greece.)
On June 2, at 10 pm, the friends will gather at the To Kati Allo taverna on Xatsichristou St. in Athens for our reunion. There should be Anne Britt from Norway, Vesa and his wife and son from Finland, Patrick from Germany, Ingrid, me, and the Athens friends (including Lillian, I hope!) The next day June 3, in time for my birthday, another Vancouver friend arrives, Deb.
The birthday party will be held at sunset on the flat rocks behind the Pnyx which I think is actually the Hill of the Nymphs. We've had lots of parties there in the past and it's an excellent place with a view out over the rooftops toward Pireaus and the sea to the west, and behind it, a glimpse of the Acropolis through the trees. How appropriate for me to be there once again with all my friends.
One of our quests while in Athens will be to scout out a new taverna hangout for our little group of scholars/writers/artists. The TKA is a long-time gathering place, of course, but AB and I decided we wanted to find somewhere special, just to mark the occasion of our return. That will be part of the fun as there are many interesting places around that area. Of course this will mean consuming the token carafes of krasi or retsina, maybe a little ouzaki or metaxa brandy, at each place just to make sure we pick up the right vibes and inspiration.
After that, the week will be full of adventures and various day-trips. Then we're heading for the islands, Naxos and Amorgos. And by June 15 back to Athens to take in a very special concert at the Herodian with my favorite singer Haris Alexiou. The last two weeks I plan to relax and enjoy visiting with my Athens friends Christina and Dinaz and strolling the old haunts which are so full of memories for me. Hopefully I'll glean a lot of inspiration for writing -- not only for my novel and the Sappho play, but remembrances for my travel memoir of Greece.
I'm lucky. This is going to be another fabulous trip! And I know I have the Muse with me.
So, keep an eye on this space and I'll share my adventures with you.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
SAILING
"I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the
wind's like a whetted knife:
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trek's over."
John Masefield 1878- 1967 "Sea Fever" st. 3
When I was youngI used to wish I was a boy so I could be a sailor. I was fascinated by the sea, and especially pirate stories. In my teens I was entranced by the smart-looking American sailors that used to visit the port of Vancouver. Later on, when my dad bought a small wooden-hull boat, christened Myfanwy (because he was Welsh), we spent a lot of time chugging around the local waters fishing and pleasure cruising back and forth to our island cottage. It was a very small boat with an inboard motor but it was fun to go out fishing and once my husband, a friend and I made the long voyage from the city to the island which was quite a day's adventure.
Since then I've taken many ferry trips both here and when I visit or lived in Greece but except for a media tour on a cruise ship I've never actually taken a real sea voyage. One of these days I'd love to make the trip up the Inland Passage to Alaska. British Columbia has a wonderful naval history. It was in these waters that famous captains like Cook and Bligh sailed, and our city is named for Captain George Vancouver who sailed here on one of the British ships exploring the coast on a quest to find the Northwest Passage. I once wrote and published a brochure about our island, Keats Island, which was named after the British captain Sir Richard Goodwin Keats who surveyed the coastal islands.
In just two more weeks my friend Ingrid and I will be flying to Venice and from there we are taking the ferry to Greece, a 24 hr. cruise down the Dalmation Coast. I'm quite excited about it as I love travelling by sea. I'm also fascinated by the research I've done about the Venetian navy and how once it patrolled and controlled many of the Greek islands and ports.
There used to be 90 different pirate ships cruising those waters so the Greeks had appealed to Venice for help and thus the Venetians built many coastal fortresses and kept their navy in those ports so they could protect the people from pirate raids. So this trip, starting at Venice and ending at Igoumenitsa Greece will be quite an adventure.
I took a ferry trip over to Vancouver Island this weekend to attend a writer's event and visit my cousins. We spent Saturday morning at the Royal B.C. Museum taking in the Titanic exhibit.
Before you enter, you are given a boarding pass from the White Star Line with the name of a passenger (real one!) and particulars about them. My boarding pass was for a woman named Mrs. Peter Joseph (Catherine Rizk) age 24 and her two children Michael (6) and Anna (2). Their accomodation was 3rd class steerage. Catherine suffered from TB and her husband had sent her and the children back to Lebabon, likely because it was a healthier climate than her home, Detroit, Michigan, but also to save money. However, in early April 1912 he sent for them to come home so they boarded the Titanic for the voyage.
As you board the 'ship' and are greeted by the captain (who looks like the real Capt. Smith of the Titanic) and you make your way through the exhibits from the ship's beginnings to its tragic end. There are docents dressed as various crew and passengers and they answer questions and engage you in conversation about the voyage and particulars about the ship.
There are many exhibits of articles brought up from the wreck which had laid undiscovered for 85 years in the bottom of the Atlantic. Amazingly, anything that had been stored in leather was still preserved as apparantly because of the tanning process the microorganisms didn't eat through to destroy the leather (such as wallets and trunks). There are photos of many of the passengers, mainly the most famous, and also bio notes on them along with whatever possessions were found. You learn how to operate the wireless morse-code and how there had been many messages sent to the ship warning of the icebergs but the wireless operators had failed to pass them on because they were too busy sending greetings to NY from 1st class passengers. A pair of damaged spectacles in a case reminds you that the officers on watch on the crowsnest that misty cold night didn't have binoculars as they had 'misplaced' them. You go into a dark chilly room where there is an 'iceberg' which you can touch to get the idea of just how cold it was. There is the sound of breaking ice and crashing as the ship hits the berg. (If it had hit dead on it wouldn't have sank, but because it hit sideways and staved in six of the bulkheads it sank very quickly.) Then, at the end you check the passengers lists and see if your person survived the sinking. Catherine and her children miraculously escaped. Most of the third class passengers didn't. It was such a moving experience, very interactive and personal. There are a couple of videos shown, including one terrifying reenactment of the sinking. We didn't have time to take in the Imax show so I'm planning to go back again later in the summer. It's well worth a second visit.
Well, I don't expect my ship to sink although with the record for ferry sinking in Greece the last couple of years (and one recently off Santorini) it makes one pause for thought. However, not too likely, and it is a voyage to really look forward to. Yo ho ho and a bottle of ouzo! (or maybe Metaxa brandy!)
"There was a ship came from the north country,
And the name of the ship was the Golden Vanity
And they feared she might be taken by the Turkish enemy,
That sails upon the Lowland, Lowland, Lowland,
That sails upon the Lowland sea."
Anonymous Shanty "The Golden Vanity"
"Ships are but boards, sailors but men:
there be land-rats and water-rats, land-thieves and water-thieves."
William Shakespeare 1564- 1616 "The Merchant of Venice", 1 iii 22
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the
wind's like a whetted knife:
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trek's over."
John Masefield 1878- 1967 "Sea Fever" st. 3
When I was youngI used to wish I was a boy so I could be a sailor. I was fascinated by the sea, and especially pirate stories. In my teens I was entranced by the smart-looking American sailors that used to visit the port of Vancouver. Later on, when my dad bought a small wooden-hull boat, christened Myfanwy (because he was Welsh), we spent a lot of time chugging around the local waters fishing and pleasure cruising back and forth to our island cottage. It was a very small boat with an inboard motor but it was fun to go out fishing and once my husband, a friend and I made the long voyage from the city to the island which was quite a day's adventure.
Since then I've taken many ferry trips both here and when I visit or lived in Greece but except for a media tour on a cruise ship I've never actually taken a real sea voyage. One of these days I'd love to make the trip up the Inland Passage to Alaska. British Columbia has a wonderful naval history. It was in these waters that famous captains like Cook and Bligh sailed, and our city is named for Captain George Vancouver who sailed here on one of the British ships exploring the coast on a quest to find the Northwest Passage. I once wrote and published a brochure about our island, Keats Island, which was named after the British captain Sir Richard Goodwin Keats who surveyed the coastal islands.
In just two more weeks my friend Ingrid and I will be flying to Venice and from there we are taking the ferry to Greece, a 24 hr. cruise down the Dalmation Coast. I'm quite excited about it as I love travelling by sea. I'm also fascinated by the research I've done about the Venetian navy and how once it patrolled and controlled many of the Greek islands and ports.
There used to be 90 different pirate ships cruising those waters so the Greeks had appealed to Venice for help and thus the Venetians built many coastal fortresses and kept their navy in those ports so they could protect the people from pirate raids. So this trip, starting at Venice and ending at Igoumenitsa Greece will be quite an adventure.
I took a ferry trip over to Vancouver Island this weekend to attend a writer's event and visit my cousins. We spent Saturday morning at the Royal B.C. Museum taking in the Titanic exhibit.
Before you enter, you are given a boarding pass from the White Star Line with the name of a passenger (real one!) and particulars about them. My boarding pass was for a woman named Mrs. Peter Joseph (Catherine Rizk) age 24 and her two children Michael (6) and Anna (2). Their accomodation was 3rd class steerage. Catherine suffered from TB and her husband had sent her and the children back to Lebabon, likely because it was a healthier climate than her home, Detroit, Michigan, but also to save money. However, in early April 1912 he sent for them to come home so they boarded the Titanic for the voyage.
As you board the 'ship' and are greeted by the captain (who looks like the real Capt. Smith of the Titanic) and you make your way through the exhibits from the ship's beginnings to its tragic end. There are docents dressed as various crew and passengers and they answer questions and engage you in conversation about the voyage and particulars about the ship.
There are many exhibits of articles brought up from the wreck which had laid undiscovered for 85 years in the bottom of the Atlantic. Amazingly, anything that had been stored in leather was still preserved as apparantly because of the tanning process the microorganisms didn't eat through to destroy the leather (such as wallets and trunks). There are photos of many of the passengers, mainly the most famous, and also bio notes on them along with whatever possessions were found. You learn how to operate the wireless morse-code and how there had been many messages sent to the ship warning of the icebergs but the wireless operators had failed to pass them on because they were too busy sending greetings to NY from 1st class passengers. A pair of damaged spectacles in a case reminds you that the officers on watch on the crowsnest that misty cold night didn't have binoculars as they had 'misplaced' them. You go into a dark chilly room where there is an 'iceberg' which you can touch to get the idea of just how cold it was. There is the sound of breaking ice and crashing as the ship hits the berg. (If it had hit dead on it wouldn't have sank, but because it hit sideways and staved in six of the bulkheads it sank very quickly.) Then, at the end you check the passengers lists and see if your person survived the sinking. Catherine and her children miraculously escaped. Most of the third class passengers didn't. It was such a moving experience, very interactive and personal. There are a couple of videos shown, including one terrifying reenactment of the sinking. We didn't have time to take in the Imax show so I'm planning to go back again later in the summer. It's well worth a second visit.
Well, I don't expect my ship to sink although with the record for ferry sinking in Greece the last couple of years (and one recently off Santorini) it makes one pause for thought. However, not too likely, and it is a voyage to really look forward to. Yo ho ho and a bottle of ouzo! (or maybe Metaxa brandy!)
"There was a ship came from the north country,
And the name of the ship was the Golden Vanity
And they feared she might be taken by the Turkish enemy,
That sails upon the Lowland, Lowland, Lowland,
That sails upon the Lowland sea."
Anonymous Shanty "The Golden Vanity"
"Ships are but boards, sailors but men:
there be land-rats and water-rats, land-thieves and water-thieves."
William Shakespeare 1564- 1616 "The Merchant of Venice", 1 iii 22
Saturday, April 07, 2007
A LITTLE BONUS SIDE TRIP
I've always been interested in Holland, since the days when I was a kid and my favorite stories were Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates, and the story about Pieter, the little boy who stuck his finger in the dam to keep the water from seeping through. I love tulips and would enjoy seeing the fields of flowers and canals that Holland is famous for. During the war, my dad was stationed with an army field hospital in Holland. He sent home lots of gifts including little Dutch dolls with porcelein heads and Delft china windmills and other delft ornaments, some which I still have on display. He spoke fondly of the Dutch people and made many friends while he was stationed there. And a few years after the war, when we moved to the Coast, we had a young Dutch couple who lived in our basement suite with their new baby.
One of my first stories which I wrote when I was twelve (a small part of it was published in a Girl Guide magazine) was about a Dutch war orphan who was adopted by a Canadian soldier. I was greatly influenced by the stories and news reel pictures of war-time Holland, and especially the Anne Frank story.
I've always wanted to visit the Netherlands, but somehow haven't taken the time to do so. This time, as we are flying KLM, it turns out that I have an 8 hour lay-over in Holland on my way home the end of June. This will give me plenty of time to take the sneltrein into the city for a look around.
I've browsed through a couple of books on Amerterdam to get an idea of what I'd like to see and do for that quick side trip. First I want to take a canal trip. It's possible to take the "Museumboot" which stops at various places of interest so you can hop on and off whenever you want to. Some of the places I'd like to see are Westerkirk (Rembrant is buried here)
Anne Frank House, of course!; and Canal King where you can see some of the elegant canl houses along the Golden Bend.
Amsterdam was one of the wealthiest cities in Europe until the early 19th century, although it had lost its domination as a trading country to England and France in the 1600''s.
It was also the home to famous artists such as Van Gogh, Rembrant and Jan Vermeer.
I'm not sure if I'll have time to see the Van Gogh Museum, but it would be my choice if I do although I've seen a number of his famous paintings in other galleries in London.
Just to browse around Dam Square and the Old Centre will be fun. And you can walk on the Waterside right from the Central Station. No doubt lots of photo opportunities and a quick peek at everything for future holidays.
One of my first stories which I wrote when I was twelve (a small part of it was published in a Girl Guide magazine) was about a Dutch war orphan who was adopted by a Canadian soldier. I was greatly influenced by the stories and news reel pictures of war-time Holland, and especially the Anne Frank story.
I've always wanted to visit the Netherlands, but somehow haven't taken the time to do so. This time, as we are flying KLM, it turns out that I have an 8 hour lay-over in Holland on my way home the end of June. This will give me plenty of time to take the sneltrein into the city for a look around.
I've browsed through a couple of books on Amerterdam to get an idea of what I'd like to see and do for that quick side trip. First I want to take a canal trip. It's possible to take the "Museumboot" which stops at various places of interest so you can hop on and off whenever you want to. Some of the places I'd like to see are Westerkirk (Rembrant is buried here)
Anne Frank House, of course!; and Canal King where you can see some of the elegant canl houses along the Golden Bend.
Amsterdam was one of the wealthiest cities in Europe until the early 19th century, although it had lost its domination as a trading country to England and France in the 1600''s.
It was also the home to famous artists such as Van Gogh, Rembrant and Jan Vermeer.
I'm not sure if I'll have time to see the Van Gogh Museum, but it would be my choice if I do although I've seen a number of his famous paintings in other galleries in London.
Just to browse around Dam Square and the Old Centre will be fun. And you can walk on the Waterside right from the Central Station. No doubt lots of photo opportunities and a quick peek at everything for future holidays.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
ISLAND HOPPING
"The isles of Greece, the isles of Greece
Where burning Sappho loved and sung..."
George Noel Gordon, Lord Byron 1788-1824 "Beppo" 1818 st . 86 (song, st. 1)
NAXOS
There's a legend about the abandoned Temple of Apollo, Naxos' famous landmark, that when Istanbul is returned to Greece the temple door will miraculously appear. The incompleted temple that marks the entrance to Naxos' harbour is just one of the many "abandoned" things you'll see on this island, including the gigantic marble Kouros (7th C. BC) at the old marble quarry. In fact, it was on this island that Theseus abandoned Ariadne after she helped him escape from the Cretan labyrinth. Dionysus 'rescued' her and spirited her away. He's the island's favorite deity, the god of wine and ecstacy, and ever since Naxian wine has been considered a good remedy for a broken heart.
I've been to Naxos twice before, both times solo camping, once at St. George's Beach and the second time at Plaka Beach. The second time I went there I was invited to visit with the infamous Hollywoods, a couple of Americans who were part of the Plaka Dirty Corner gang of the '80's. They had bought a bar there called Picasso's Bar and were rebuilding an old house in one of the villages. (I wonder if they are still there. I'll watch out for them lounging around St. George's Beach. )
Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades Island, and the most fertile, producing some of the best potatoes a well as olives, grapes figs, citrus and corn. It was an important Byzantine centre and was once occupied by Venetians so there's a distinctive Venetian influence in the architecture of the old town, Hora.
On my last visit there, I took a round-the-island tour and want to do it again this time. One thing that struck me then were the numbers of abandoned villages, some abandoned due to pirate raids during the Byzantine period and others since the Turkish occupation in the 1500s. There are also scores of stone watch towers along the coast and a 'secret school' where children were taught their Greek heritage and language during the Turkish occupation when it was forbidden. There are many picturesque villages on the island too. The village of Apuranthos is said to be one of the loveliest villages in the Cyclades. There's lots to see and do on Naxos, and the beaches there are fabulous. I've always intended to write about it but never did, so this time its definitely a travel journalists's adventure for me.
Naxos historical notes: Evidently Lord Byron visited here early in his travels to Greece and was very impressed. The ancient Naxans were Ionians of Athenian stock. The Persians sacked the island in 490 BC. The Naxiots sent four ships to form the Greek fleet at Salamis (against the Persians) and were the first of the allied states to come under Athenian rule (471 BC). Naxos was seized by Venetian Marco Sanudi, in 1207. His dynasty ruled the island for 360 years until Naxos fell to the Turks in 1566.
AMORGOS (Amorgoss)
This island is just a short ferry trip off the northern coast of Naxos. I've always intended to visit it so this time I'll go there. (There is a convention for Culture and Tourism there this month which I am obvioulsy unable to attend, but I've been in touch with one of the women tourism organizers and she is looking forward to meeting me. So hopefully I'll be shown around in style.) One of the places I want to visit is the extrordinary monastery perched on a cliff-side. And the island is said to be excellent for walking.
The port of Katapolo occupies a large bay in the most verdant area of the island. There's some Minoan ruins here as well as a Mycanaean cemetary. The islands well-reserved Cycladic village, Hora (also known as Amorgos) is located above the shore at about 400 m. There's an archaeological museum there. Amorgos has yielded many Cycladic finds, some of which are in the National Museum in Athens.
The Monastery Moni Hozoviotissis is a major feature on the island with spectacular scenery. The dazzling white building clings to a cliff face above the east coast of the island. The monastery houses another one of those "miraculous" icons that Greece is noted for. This one was found in the sea below the monastery. You can walk down to the monastery from Hora on an old stepped path.
The film "The Big Blue" was partly filmed on this island and there's a pub named after it that glows blue neon at night.
The other port on the island is Aegiali, once an old hippie hang-out in the '70s with a good stretch of beach. There's another pebbled beach at Agia Anna with a stunning setting. The villages of Tholaria and Langada (near Aegiali) are the most picturesque villages, worth a visit.
Just 25 m. SE of Amorgos is ASTIPALAIA another island once occupied by the Venetians and this has influenced the dialect spoken by the people there. This small island has an interesting history and is said to be the only Cycladic island without snakes. There's the remains of a Venetian castle there. I'm going to check this one of for a day-trip.
Amorgos History notes:
In antiquity there were three cities: Aigiali, Minoa and Arkesene, all on the north coast. The island was the home of the poet Simonides (556-467 BC) who beat the famous poet/orator Aeschylus in a competition for the best elegy on the fallen at Marathon.
"Go tell the Spartans, thou who passes by,
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie."
Simondides 556-468 BC frag 92
Inscription on the memorial to the fallen Spartans at Thermopylae
Where burning Sappho loved and sung..."
George Noel Gordon, Lord Byron 1788-1824 "Beppo" 1818 st . 86 (song, st. 1)
NAXOS
There's a legend about the abandoned Temple of Apollo, Naxos' famous landmark, that when Istanbul is returned to Greece the temple door will miraculously appear. The incompleted temple that marks the entrance to Naxos' harbour is just one of the many "abandoned" things you'll see on this island, including the gigantic marble Kouros (7th C. BC) at the old marble quarry. In fact, it was on this island that Theseus abandoned Ariadne after she helped him escape from the Cretan labyrinth. Dionysus 'rescued' her and spirited her away. He's the island's favorite deity, the god of wine and ecstacy, and ever since Naxian wine has been considered a good remedy for a broken heart.
I've been to Naxos twice before, both times solo camping, once at St. George's Beach and the second time at Plaka Beach. The second time I went there I was invited to visit with the infamous Hollywoods, a couple of Americans who were part of the Plaka Dirty Corner gang of the '80's. They had bought a bar there called Picasso's Bar and were rebuilding an old house in one of the villages. (I wonder if they are still there. I'll watch out for them lounging around St. George's Beach. )
Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades Island, and the most fertile, producing some of the best potatoes a well as olives, grapes figs, citrus and corn. It was an important Byzantine centre and was once occupied by Venetians so there's a distinctive Venetian influence in the architecture of the old town, Hora.
On my last visit there, I took a round-the-island tour and want to do it again this time. One thing that struck me then were the numbers of abandoned villages, some abandoned due to pirate raids during the Byzantine period and others since the Turkish occupation in the 1500s. There are also scores of stone watch towers along the coast and a 'secret school' where children were taught their Greek heritage and language during the Turkish occupation when it was forbidden. There are many picturesque villages on the island too. The village of Apuranthos is said to be one of the loveliest villages in the Cyclades. There's lots to see and do on Naxos, and the beaches there are fabulous. I've always intended to write about it but never did, so this time its definitely a travel journalists's adventure for me.
Naxos historical notes: Evidently Lord Byron visited here early in his travels to Greece and was very impressed. The ancient Naxans were Ionians of Athenian stock. The Persians sacked the island in 490 BC. The Naxiots sent four ships to form the Greek fleet at Salamis (against the Persians) and were the first of the allied states to come under Athenian rule (471 BC). Naxos was seized by Venetian Marco Sanudi, in 1207. His dynasty ruled the island for 360 years until Naxos fell to the Turks in 1566.
AMORGOS (Amorgoss)
This island is just a short ferry trip off the northern coast of Naxos. I've always intended to visit it so this time I'll go there. (There is a convention for Culture and Tourism there this month which I am obvioulsy unable to attend, but I've been in touch with one of the women tourism organizers and she is looking forward to meeting me. So hopefully I'll be shown around in style.) One of the places I want to visit is the extrordinary monastery perched on a cliff-side. And the island is said to be excellent for walking.
The port of Katapolo occupies a large bay in the most verdant area of the island. There's some Minoan ruins here as well as a Mycanaean cemetary. The islands well-reserved Cycladic village, Hora (also known as Amorgos) is located above the shore at about 400 m. There's an archaeological museum there. Amorgos has yielded many Cycladic finds, some of which are in the National Museum in Athens.
The Monastery Moni Hozoviotissis is a major feature on the island with spectacular scenery. The dazzling white building clings to a cliff face above the east coast of the island. The monastery houses another one of those "miraculous" icons that Greece is noted for. This one was found in the sea below the monastery. You can walk down to the monastery from Hora on an old stepped path.
The film "The Big Blue" was partly filmed on this island and there's a pub named after it that glows blue neon at night.
The other port on the island is Aegiali, once an old hippie hang-out in the '70s with a good stretch of beach. There's another pebbled beach at Agia Anna with a stunning setting. The villages of Tholaria and Langada (near Aegiali) are the most picturesque villages, worth a visit.
Just 25 m. SE of Amorgos is ASTIPALAIA another island once occupied by the Venetians and this has influenced the dialect spoken by the people there. This small island has an interesting history and is said to be the only Cycladic island without snakes. There's the remains of a Venetian castle there. I'm going to check this one of for a day-trip.
Amorgos History notes:
In antiquity there were three cities: Aigiali, Minoa and Arkesene, all on the north coast. The island was the home of the poet Simonides (556-467 BC) who beat the famous poet/orator Aeschylus in a competition for the best elegy on the fallen at Marathon.
"Go tell the Spartans, thou who passes by,
That here, obedient to their laws, we lie."
Simondides 556-468 BC frag 92
Inscription on the memorial to the fallen Spartans at Thermopylae
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